Weightlifting may lower diabetes risk

New York: Weightlifting may lower diabetes risk in obese teenagers, says a new study.

Researchers led by a professor of preventive medicine in the Keck School of Medicine, University of California, Michael Goran , studied 22 overweight Latino teenagers aged 14-17, reported science portal EurekAlert.

They found that those who lifted weights twice per week for 16 weeks significantly reduced their insulin resistance, a condition in which their bodies do not respond to insulin and cannot process sugars properly.

Insulin resistance is common in obese children and is a precursor of diabetes.

Previous research has demonstrated that aerobic and resistance exercise is effective in improving insulin sensitivity in adults.

However, no controlled studies had been carried out on overweight youth.

The researchers chose to focus on Latino teenagerss because they are at particular risk for diabetes.

According to the Centre for Disease Control, about half of all Latino children born in 2000 are expected to develop type 2 diabetes in their lifetime.

The boys lifted weights two times a week on gym equipment guided by personal trainers.

The trainers used increasing resistance and fewer repetitions as the participants improved.

While there was no change in their total body fat mass, the per cent body fat significantly decreased and lean muscle mass increased in the resistance-training group compared to the control group.

The per cent of the weight-lifting participants, who also significantly improved their insulin sensitivity was 91.

"This shows that lifting weights is a good form of exercise that overweight teens can excel at and benefit from," said Goran.

"Whether they lose weight or not is not important, they still benefit by increasing muscle mass," he added.