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The Effects of a Whole-Body Electromyostimulation Intervention Program on Body Fat and Glycemic Indicators in Older Adults with Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus : A Randomized Controlled Trial

비만을 동반한 제2형 당뇨병 노인의 전신 전기근육자극 중재 프로그램이 체지방 및 혈당지표에 미치는 영향 : 무작위 대조군 실험연구

  • Received : 2025.12.06
  • Accepted : 2026.04.24
  • Published : 2026.04.30

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of an eight week whole-body electromyostimulation (WB-EMS) program on body fat and blood glucose-related indicators in elderly patients with obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Methods: The participants included elderly patients (≥65 years) with a diagnosis of T2DM, a body fat percentage (BFP) of 30% or higher, and understanding of the purpose of the study. A total of 52 participants with obesity and T2DM were randomly assigned to either the WB-EMS group (n=25) or a control group (n=27). The WB-EMS program was conducted twice per week, with each session lasting 20 minutes, for a duration of eight weeks. Pre- and post-intervention measurements included weight, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), BFP, visceral fat area (VFA), fasting blood glucose (FBG), and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c). T-tests, chi-square tests, and repeated measures ANOVA (RM-ANOVA) were used for analysis of data. Results: The results showed a significant time × group interaction for weight, BMI, WC, and VFA, and FBG (p<0.05), indicating that the observed changes could be attributed to the WB-EMS intervention. After the WB-EMS intervention, the WB-EMS group showed significant reductions in weight, BMI, WC, VFA, and FBG, while the control group showed no significant changes. Conclusion: The findings of this study suggest that the WB-EMS program can be safely and effectively utilized as a non-pharmacological intervention for elderly patients with obesity and T2DM. It may serve as a viable strategy for long-term management of blood glucose and obesity.

Keywords

Acknowledgement

본 논문은 정부(과학기술정보통신부)의 재원으로 한국연구재단의 지원을 받아 수행된 연구임(No. 2023R1A2C1006271).

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