1Professor of Exercise Physiology, Department of Exercise Physiology, Department of Exercise Physiology, Faculty of Educational Sciences and Psychology, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil, Iran.
2Islamic Azad University, Miyaneh Branch, Mianeh, Iran
چکیده
Background: This study aimed to examine the influence of a low-volume interval exercise program on non-alcoholic fatty liver indicators in sedentary adults with T2DM. Methods: In this randomized controlled trial, 72 sedentary patients with T2DM (age 40–65 years) were allocated into an intervention group (n = 36) and a control group (n = 36). The intervention group completed a four-week low-volume interval exercise program, consisting of three weekly sessions incorporating short high-intensity intervals interspersed with low-intensity recovery. Anthropometrics, fasting glucose, lipid profile, liver enzymes (ALT, AST, GGT), and NAFLD indicators—particularly the Fatty Liver Index (FLI)—were assessed at baseline and post-intervention. The control group received no structured exercise. Data were analyzed using paired and independent t-tests, Mann–Whitney U tests, and a significance level of p < 0.05. Results: Following the intervention, the exercise group demonstrated significant reductions in FLI values (p < 0.001), ALT (p = 0.01), GGT (p = 0.02), triglycerides (p < 0.001), and body mass index (p < 0.001). Fasting blood glucose also decreased significantly (p < 0.01). No comparable improvements were observed in the control group. Between-group comparisons confirmed that the intervention group achieved superior improvements across all liver-related biomarkers (p < 0.05). Conclusion: A short-term, low-volume interval exercise program effectively improves hepatic indicators in sedentary adults with T2DM. These findings support the integration of time-efficient interval exercise into clinical management strategies as a non-pharmacological approach to mitigating NAFLD progression in diabetic populations.