1Associate Professor, Department of Physiotherapy, School of Healthcare & Allied Sciences, GD Goenka University, Gurugram
Background: Excess central adiposity and elevated body mass index (BMI) are key determinants of insulin resistance and cardiometabolic risk in individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Although progressive resistance training (RT) improves body composition, long-term adherence remains suboptimal in sedentary populations. Electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) represents a non-volitional alternative capable of eliciting contraction-mediated metabolic adaptations.
Objective: To compare the effects of EMS and supervised RT on BMI and regional adiposity in sedentary adults with T2DM.
Methods: In this randomized controlled trial, 66 sedentary individuals with T2DM were allocated to EMS (n=22), RT (n=22), or control (n=22) groups. EMS was delivered using Russian current (2500 Hz; 10 s ON/50 s OFF; 30 min/session; three sessions/week) for 12 weeks. The RT group performed supervised progressive resistance exercises three times weekly for 12 weeks. Primary outcome was BMI. Secondary outcomes included triceps, suprailiac, and abdominal skinfold thickness. Assessments were conducted at baseline, 12 weeks, and 3-month follow-up. Repeated-measures ANOVA evaluated time, group, and interaction effects.
Results: A significant group × time interaction was observed for BMI (F(4,126)=17.366, p<0.001, η²=0.355), indicating a large effect size. Both EMS and RT significantly reduced BMI compared with control (p<0.01), with no significant difference between intervention groups. Abdominal skinfold thickness demonstrated significant interaction effects (F=9.554, p<0.001, η²=0.233), reflecting meaningful reductions in central adiposity in both intervention groups. Suprailiac skinfold thickness also showed significant interaction (F=3.295, p=0.013), while triceps skinfold exhibited a moderate between-group effect (F=5.117, p=0.009). No significant improvements were observed in the control group.
Conclusions: EMS and RT produced significant and comparable improvements in BMI and central adiposity in sedentary adults with T2DM. EMS may represent a clinically viable alternative for individuals unable to engage in conventional resistance training.
Keywords: Type 2 diabetes mellitus; Electrical muscle stimulation; Resistance training; Body mass index; Central adiposity; Randomized controlled trial.
How to cite this article: Trivedi V, Fahim T. Effect of Electrical Muscle Stimulation and Resistance Training on Body Mass Index and Regional Adiposity in Sedentary Type-II Diabetic Individuals: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Int J Drug Deliv Technol. 2026;16(10s): 504-514; DOI: 10.25258/ijddt.16.10s.63.
Source of support: Nil
Conflict of interest: None