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Diabetology
Special Issues
Exercise as Medicine: Exploring the Prevention and Management of Diabetes
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Exercise as Medicine: Exploring the Prevention and Management of Diabetes

A special issue of Diabetology (ISSN 2673-4540).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 April 2026 | Viewed by 710

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Carlos Vasconcelos

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Sports Science and Motricity, Polytechnic Institute of Viseu, Viseu, Portugal
Interests: lifestyle interventions; exercise; physical activity; diabetes; health outcomes
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Fabio Petrelli

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Pharmacy, Polo Medicina Sperimentale e Sanità Pubblica "Stefania Scuri", Via Madonna delle Carceri 9, 62032 Camerino, Italy
Interests: diabetes public health; diabetes management; diabetes health management; diabetes health care; diabetes chronic care; diabetes nursing care
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue aims to highlight the pivotal role of exercise in preventing and managing all types of diabetes. The number of people living with diabetes is projected to reach 643 million by 2030 and 783 million by 2045, underscoring the urgent need for evidence-based strategies that complement and extend beyond pharmacological treatments.

As a key lifestyle intervention, exercise has consistently been shown to improve glycemic control, cardiovascular and metabolic health, musculoskeletal strength, mental well-being, and sleep quality, while reducing inflammation, visceral fat, and cardiometabolic risk. However, this is a non-exhaustive list of the documented benefits, and ongoing research continues to reveal additional positive effects across multiple physiological and psychosocial domains. These positive effects manifest both for individuals at risk of diabetes and those already living with diabetes. However, the magnitude of these benefits can vary depending on factors such as the type and duration of diabetes, age, sex, baseline physical fitness, comorbidities, medication use, exercise prescription parameters, nutritional status, sleep, and psychosocial influences. 

Further research is essential to elucidate the underlying mechanisms of exercise, optimize intervention strategies, and expand our understanding of exercise’s full therapeutic potential in diabetes prevention and management.

We welcome submissions of original research articles and reviews, including narrative, scoping, or systematic reviews, as well as meta-analyses.

Dr. Carlos Vasconcelos
Prof. Dr. Fabio Petrelli
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Diabetology is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • gestational diabetes
  • type 1 diabetes
  • type 2 diabetes
  • exercise
  • physical activity
  • prevention
  • management
  • lifestyle intervention
  • health outcomes

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

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21 pages, 1664 KB  
Article
Aerobic Training Modulates the Expression of Components of the mPTP Through the Reduction of Oxidative Stress in the Soleus Muscle of Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Rats
by Luis Alberto Sánchez-Briones, Sarai Sánchez-Duarte, Sergio Márquez-Gamiño, Karla Susana Vera-Delgado, Montserrat Guadalupe Vera-Delgado, Rocío Montoya-Pérez, Cipriana Caudillo-Cisneros and Elizabeth Sánchez-Duarte
Diabetology 2026, 7(1), 18; https://doi.org/10.3390/diabetology7010018 - 9 Jan 2026
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Abstract
Background/Objectives: In all types of diabetes, elevated blood glucose levels cause pathological changes in skeletal muscle, primarily due to oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and excessive production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Regular exercise can help mitigate these effects; however, the underlying mechanisms, particularly [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: In all types of diabetes, elevated blood glucose levels cause pathological changes in skeletal muscle, primarily due to oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and excessive production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Regular exercise can help mitigate these effects; however, the underlying mechanisms, particularly those involving the mitochondrial permeability transition pore (mPTP), remain incompletely understood. This study aimed to explore the effects of aerobic exercise training (AET) on oxidative stress and the expression of mPTP components in the skeletal muscle of streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Methods: Male Wistar rats were randomly divided into three groups: Healthy Sedentary (H-SED), Diabetic Sedentary (D-SED), and Diabetic Exercise-trained (D-EXER); n = 6 per group. The D-EXER group performed AET (0° slope) 5 days/week for 8 weeks. After the intervention period, body weight and fasting blood glucose (FBG) levels were measured, and soleus muscles were collected and analyzed for oxidative stress biomarkers, Western blotting, and gene expression using qRT-PCR. Results: Following an 8-week intervention, AET reduced FBG concentrations. Accordingly, in the soleus muscles of the D-EXER group, ROS levels decreased, and redox balance was improved compared to the D-SED group. Exercise training reduced CypD and Casp9 mRNA expression and increased Bcl-2 mRNA expression, whereas Ant1 mRNA expression was only slightly altered. CypD protein expression was decreased in exercised diabetic rats, while VDAC1 protein and mRNA levels remained unchanged. In the D-EXER group, there were significant inverse correlations between CypD and Casp9 mRNA expression levels and glutathione redox state. Conclusions: The current study suggests that 8 weeks of AET, in addition to reducing hyperglycemia, may favorably influence oxidative balance and the expression of mPTP-related molecular components in diabetic skeletal muscle. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Exercise as Medicine: Exploring the Prevention and Management of Diabetes)
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Other

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18 pages, 1069 KB  
Protocol
Preventing Indigenous Cardiovascular Disease and Diabetes Through Exercise (PrIDE) Study Protocol: A Co-Designed Wearable-Based Exercise Intervention with Indigenous Peoples in Australia
by Morwenna Kirwan, Connie Henson, Blade Bancroft-Duroux, David Meharg, Vita Christie, Amanda Capes-Davis, Sara Boney, Belinda Tully, Debbie McCowen, Katrina Ward, Neale Cohen and Kylie Gwynne
Diabetology 2026, 7(1), 9; https://doi.org/10.3390/diabetology7010009 - 4 Jan 2026
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Abstract
Chronic diseases disproportionately impact Indigenous peoples in Australia, with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) representing leading causes of morbidity and mortality. Despite evidence supporting community-based exercise interventions for T2DM management, no culturally adapted programs utilizing wearable technology have been [...] Read more.
Chronic diseases disproportionately impact Indigenous peoples in Australia, with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) representing leading causes of morbidity and mortality. Despite evidence supporting community-based exercise interventions for T2DM management, no culturally adapted programs utilizing wearable technology have been co-designed specifically with Indigenous Australian communities. This study protocol aims to determine if wearable-based exercise interventions can effectively prevent CVD development and manage T2DM progression in Indigenous Australians through culturally safe, community-led approaches. The PrIDE study protocol describes a mixed-methods translational research design incorporating Indigenous and Western methodologies across three phases: (1) co-designing culturally adapted exercise programs and assessment tools, (2) implementing interventions with wearable monitoring, and (3) conducting evaluation and scale-up assessment. Sixty-four Indigenous Australian adults with T2DM will be recruited across remote, rural/regional sites to self-select into either individual or group exercise programs using the Withings ScanWatch 2. Primary outcomes include cardiovascular risk factors, physical fitness, and health self-efficacy measured using culturally adapted tools. Indigenous governance structures will ensure cultural safety and community ownership throughout. The PrIDE protocol presents a novel approach to improving health equity while advancing understanding of wearable technology integration in Indigenous healthcare, informing future larger-scale trials and policy development. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Exercise as Medicine: Exploring the Prevention and Management of Diabetes)
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