Abstract

Introduction: leptin is proposed to be an important factor in energy balance and metabolism to influence body weight.The purpose of this endeavor was to investigate the effect of an 8-week selected aquatic aerobic training period on plasma Leptin and insulin resistance in men with type 2 diabetes. Material and Methods: : 20 types 2 diabetic men selected as subjects and were randomly divided into experimental (n=10) and control groups (n=10). Both groups were similar regarding their age and body mass indexes. The training program for the experimental group included three weekly sessions of aquatic aerobic exercise for a period of eight weeks with an intensity of 55-70% of maximal heart rate. The control group had no participation in any regular training program. The blood samples were analyzed for plasma Leptin and insulin resistance. Independent and dependent t-tests were implemented to compare parameter averages at α=0.05. Results: The results showed that in the experimental group, leptin (P=0.049) and insulin resistance (P=0.001) levels decreased significantly. The comparison of the differences between the two groups showed that the changes in leptin (P=0.52) not significant and insulin resistance (P=0.001) levels was significant. Conclusion: the results of this study showed that aquatic aerobic training can be effective in preventing and treating diabetes by reducing levels of leptin and insulin resistance.