Can Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and its Chronic Complications Influence the Level of Maximal Oxygen Uptake of Exercise Participants?

Patients with type 2 diabetes have reduced aerobic capacity, negatively reflecting on their daily life and prompt independence. Greater damage can be harmed by the presence of chronic complications from diabetes, but this can be mitigated by the effects of physical exercise. The aim of the study was to assess the level of maximum oxygen consumption of people with type 2 diabetes who already have chronic complications and exercise practitioners and also compare with the reference value for women of age group, exercisers and without diagnosis of diabetes. The study was characterized as descriptive, a sample composed of 10 women with type 2 diabetes, mean age of 53 ± 13 years, as who had chronic complications from diabetes such as autonomic and peripheral neuropathy, retinopathy and hypertension and who participated in Doce Vida - Supervised Physical Exercise Program for Diabetics / ESEF / UPE. The group participated in a training protocol combined with 20 minutes of walking and 04 strength exercises (protocol A and B) in each physical exercise session. The weekly frequency of training was three times a week, in the morning period. To assess VO2max, the Rockport 1-Mile Walking Test was performed, the volunteers were instructed to walk as fast as possible. For data analysis, the t-test was applied to a sample, with a significance level of p≤0.05. The results obtained showed an average of 16.8 ml / kg / min of VO2max in the volunteers, values ​​lower than the ideal average for the age (53 ± 13 years) of women without diabetes, which corresponds to 28.2 ml / kg / min (p = 0.02). Therefore, it is concluded that women with type 2 diabetes with the presence of chronic complications, similar levels of VO2max complications are lower than recommended for the same age group of women without diabetes. Therefore, it is suggested that women with the profile of the participants in this study should undergo a cautious progression of physical exercise, better adaptation and adherence to physical exercise.