Study on exercise & climatotherapy for diabetes and obesity

For this study of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, observations and examinations were carried out on 50 patients with advanced diabetes and mild obesity of the dietary-metabolic type in a mid-mountainous area (1870 m above sea level).

After 20 days of treatment, which included daily sustained exercise, cool sun-air baths and a moderately calorie-restricted diet of 1600-1800 kcal, a clinically significant reduction in various lipid levels was observed. These included total lipids, total cholesterol, beta-lipoproteins, triglycerides, esterified fatty acids and low-density lipoproteins (LDL cholesterol), with an average reduction of 9.3% to 19.5%. A greater reduction in lipid levels was observed at higher baseline values and with a moderate weight reductionof 3.5 kg during the 20-day treatment.

The physical exercise and the cool sun-air baths stimulated lipolysis, whereby the increased levels of free fatty acids were mainly used to supply the body with energy. The increased lipolysis probably played a significant role in the positive effect on hyperlipidemia.