A structured exercise program incorporating aerobic and resistance training improved kidney function in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). A randomized controlled trial published in Diabetes & Metabolic Syndrome: Clinical Research & Reviews evaluated the impact of a 9-month supervised exercise intervention on renal outcomes in individuals with T2DM without pre-existing kidney disease.

The study enrolled 136 adults aged 41 to 87 years from four primary care centers in Catalunya. Participants were randomized to an intervention group (IG, n = 52), which completed two supervised 60-minute sessions per week of moderate-to-vigorous aerobic and resistance exercise, or a control group (CG, n = 84) that received standard care. Outcomes included changes in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and urinary albumin.

After 9 months, eGFR increased by 1.8 mL/min/1.73 m² in the intervention group and decreased by 3.4 mL/min/1.73 m² in the control group. The between-group difference was 5.2 mL/min/1.73 m² (95% confidence interval 0.9-9.5; P = 0.019).

The increase in eGFR was greater in specific subgroups, including women, participants younger than 65 years, and those with uncontrolled diabetes (all P < 0.05). Changes in urinary albumin did not differ between groups.

A structured program of combined aerobic and resistance exercise improved eGFR without affecting urinary albumin in adults with T2DM in a primary care setting.