Grant: CIHR New Investigator

Exercise is regarded as cornerstone for the prevention and treatment of type 2 diabetes. However, the optimal exercise strategy for improving the cardiovascular and metabolic health of individuals with prediabetes and tyep 2 diabetes is not yet known. This research program seeks to help identify what type of exercise is most beneficial for improving cardiovascular fitness, blood glucose control, and markers of inflammation in individuals with, and at risk for, type 2 diabetes. A novel form of time-efficient exercise called high-intensity interval training ("HIIT") will be compared to traditional moderate-intensity continuous training and resistance training. It is hypothesized that HIIT will lead to health benefits that are equal, or superior, to traditional exercise but will do so in less time. In addition, this research will test whether the benefits of exercise can be improved by combining HIIT with nutritional interventions, and whether individuals can stick to HIIT on their own in order to gain continued benefits of this type of exercise.