Effects of Virtual Reality Exercise Program on Blood Glucose, Body Composition, and Exercise Immersion in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes.

BACKGROUND: This study is a preliminary study to examine the effect of a virtual reality exercise program (VREP) on type 2 diabetes patients. METHOD: This is a randomized controlled trial for patients with type 2 diabetes (glycated hemoglobin ≥ 6.5%), diagnosed by a specialist. The virtual reality environment was set up by attaching an IoT sensor to an indoor bicycle and linking it with a smartphone, enabling exercise in an immersive virtual reality through a head-mounted display. The VREP was implemented three times a week, for two weeks. The blood glucose, body composition, and exercise immersion were analyzed at baseline, and two weeks before and after the experimental intervention. RESULT: After VREP application, the mean blood glucose (F = 12.001 p < 0.001) and serum fructosamine (F = 3.274, p = 0.016) were significantly lower in the virtual reality therapy (VRT) and indoor bicycle exercise (IBE) groups than in the control group. There was no significant difference in the body mass index between the three groups; however, the muscle mass of participants in the VRT and IBE groups significantly increased compared with that of the control (F = 4.445, p = 0.003). Additionally, exercise immersion was significantly increased in the VRT group compared with that in the IBE and control groups. CONCLUSION: A two week VREP had a positive effect on blood glucose, muscle mass, and exercise immersion in patients with type 2 diabetes, and is highly recommended as an effective intervention for blood glucose control in type 2 diabetes.

Factors Associated with Body Weight Gain among Korean Adults during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Background: Obesity is of grave concern as a comorbidity of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). We examined the factors associated with weight gain among Korean adults during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: We conducted an online survey of 1,000 adults (515 men and 485 women aged 20-59 years) in March 2021. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to evaluate the factors associated with weight gain. The analysis was adjusted for sex, age, region, depressive mood, anxiety, eating out, late-night meals, alcohol consumption, exercise, sleep disturbance, meal pattern, subjective body image, comorbidities, marital status, living alone, and income. Results: After adjusting for confounding variables, the odds for weight gain increased in the group aged 20-34 years compared with the group aged 50-59 years (1.82; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.01-3.32). Women were more associated with the risk of weight gain compared with men. The odds for weight gain increased in the lack of exercise group compared with the exercise group (4.89; 95% CI, 3.09-7.88). The odds for weight gain increased in the eating-out and late-night meal groups compared with that in the groups not eating out and not having late-night meals. Individuals watching a screen for 3-6 hr/day were more associated with the risk of weight gain compared with those who rarely watched a screen. The odds for weight gain increased in participants who considered themselves obese compared with those who did not consider themselves obese. Conclusion: A healthy diet and regular physical activity tend to be the best approach to reduce obesity, a risk factor for COVID-19.