Exercise in the Treatment of NIDDM: Applications for GDM?

Physical training is associated with lower plasma insulin concentrations and increased sensitivity to insulin in skeletal muscle and adipose tissue of individuals with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM). The benefits of exercise to individuals with NIDDM in terms of increased insulin sensitivity could be applied to reversing the insulin resistance associated with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Exercise may also benefit women with GDM by acting as an adjunct to diet in preventing excessive weight gain and preventing or decreasing the severity of hypertension and/or hyperlipidemia during pregnancy. Regular physical exercise should be considered as a potential approach to the prevention and treatment of GDM.