Physical Activity and Exercise for the Management of Diabetes

A special issue of Journal of Functional Morphology and Kinesiology (ISSN 2411-5142). This special issue belongs to the section "Physical Exercise for Health Promotion".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 May 2026 | Viewed by 508

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Endocrinology and Diabetes Department, IRCCS, San Raffaele Pisana, 00163 Rome, Italy
Interests: diabetes; metabolism; endocrinology; hypertension; metabolic diseases; blood pressure; atherosclerosis; nutrition; internal medicines; insulin resistance; lipid metabolism; nutraceuticals; medical aerospace
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Guest Editor
Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Zagreb, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Interests: diabetes treatment; cardiovascular disease prevention; antidiabetic agents; exercise; hypoglycemia; continuous glucose monitoring
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

While it is well known that effective diabetes management requires not just diet and medication but also ongoing education and exercise, many young people with diabetes on insulin face challenges in participating in sports traditionally deemed 'dangerous,' such as scuba diving, mountain climbing, motor racing, and boxing. Over time, these activities have gained acceptance thanks to impressive achievements by athletes and the exceptional work of dedicated diabetologists, who emphasize the importance of awareness in sports for both safety and performance at all levels. Nevertheless, certain sports federations may still restrict athletes due to fears of hypoglycemia or insufficient understanding of technological advancements in the field.

Additionally, many aspects of metabolic adaptation to exercise in individuals with Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes remain debated or unknown, particularly concerning responses to innovative drugs like GLP-1 receptor agonists or SGLT2 inhibitors.

This issue invites colleagues to submit their research findings or reviews/meta-analyses on these topics to enhance awareness of the benefits of well-regulated sports within the scientific community. This can help prevent the discouraging drop in motivation for exercise among young people increasingly drawn to less active technology-driven sports alternatives, as well as chronically sedentary older adults.

Dr. Felice Strollo
Dr. Maja Cigrovski Berković
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 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

  • sport
  • physical activity
  • metabolism
  • muscle mass
  • performance
  • education
  • motivation
  • continuous glucose monitoring
  • insulin pump
  • drugs

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Review

15 pages, 984 KB  
Review
Technology-Enhanced Exercise Training for Cardiometabolic Syndrome: A Scoping Review
by Iosif-Alexandros Kouidis, Pantazis Deligiannis, Anastasia Theofanous, Maria Anifanti and Evangelia Kouidi
J. Funct. Morphol. Kinesiol. 2026, 11(2), 153; https://doi.org/10.3390/jfmk11020153 - 14 Apr 2026
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Abstract
Background: Μetabolic syndrome (MetS)—comprises central adiposity, elevated blood pressure, dyslipidaemia, and dysglycaemia, increasing the risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Exercise training improves cardiorespiratory fitness and several MetS components, but real-world effectiveness is limited by poor adherence, restricted supervision, and [...] Read more.
Background: Μetabolic syndrome (MetS)—comprises central adiposity, elevated blood pressure, dyslipidaemia, and dysglycaemia, increasing the risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Exercise training improves cardiorespiratory fitness and several MetS components, but real-world effectiveness is limited by poor adherence, restricted supervision, and insufficient personalisation. Objective: This scoping review mapped the clinical intervention evidence on technology-enhanced exercise and structured physical activity relevant to MetS, while distinguishing direct MetS evidence from translational evidence. Methods: In accordance with PRISMA-ScR, we searched PubMed and extended the search to Scopus and Web of Science; a supplementary IEEE Xplore search and a post hoc Embase check were also conducted. Eligible studies were interventions using web-based delivery, wearables, telemonitoring/mobile health (mHealth), artificial intelligence (AI) coaching, virtual reality (VR)/exergaming, or continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) alongside exercise training or structured physical activity. Results: Nineteen studies met the eligibility criteria. The evidence base was weighted toward wearable/app-based feedback and telemonitoring/mHealth/web-based approaches, with fewer studies on VR/exergaming, CGM-enabled exercise, and AI coaching. Most studies were randomised or cluster-randomised, but interventions were usually short term. Across categories, technology most consistently supported adherence, self-monitoring, accountability, remote supervision, and, in selected cases, physiology-informed personalisation. Direct MetS evidence was strongest for wearables with structured feedback, telemonitoring, mHealth, and web-based delivery, whereas AI coaching and CGM were supported by adjacent translational evidence. Conclusions: Technology-enhanced exercise and structured physical activity show promising but heterogeneous and still preliminary potential for MetS management. Key limitations include short follow-up, uneven representation across categories, inconsistent reporting of exercise dose/intensity fidelity and adverse events, and limited equity and implementation outcomes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Physical Activity and Exercise for the Management of Diabetes)
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