Effects of Exercise Training Intensity on Pancreatic β-Cell Function

I read with interest the recent article by Slentz et al. (1). They demonstrated that in middle-aged overweight/obese individuals who were moderately dylipidemic, a moderate-intensity exercise program (40–55% of aerobic capacity or V O2peak) of 8 months long (1,220 kcal/week) improved β-cell function (defined by an increase in the disposition index) three times more than with 1,230–2,020 kcal/week of vigorous intensity exercise (65–80% of V O2peak) (1). The authors concluded that moderate-intensity exercise improves β-cell function to a better extent compared with vigorous-intensity exercise. Their article overlooks the importance of vigorous exercise in clinical studies. First, their …