Body shape, daily physical-activity, cardiovascular risk factors and disease complications of diabetic patients were analyzed by the survey of mailed questionnaires. Of the 6, 800 men who were randomly selected, 1, 731 responded. The subjects were divided into two groups according to age (middle-aged group ; 40-60 yrs, old-aged group ; over 60 yrs) .
The physical-activity performed by the diabetic patients was similar to that of non-diabetic patients in the middle-aged group. IIowever, in the old-aged group the diabetic patients performed significantly less physical-activity than that of the non-diabetic cohort. The prevalence of coronary heart disease of diabetic patients in the old-aged group was significantly higher than their age-matched non-diabetic cohort. Also, in the old-aged group, the age at onset of hypercholesteremia of diabetic patients occurred significantly earlier than that of non-diabetic cohort.
The onset of the cardiovascular complications (hypertension and hypercholesteremia) of diabetes mellitus in patients with an earlier onset (40-49 yrs) of diabetes mellitus was related to their obesity, in diabetic patients with a later-onset (over 60 yrs) of diabetes mellitus there was no relationship with obesity and physical-activity throughout life are important in preventing onset and progression of coronary heart disease of the diabetic patient.

Thirty (n=30) seven week old male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into six groups of five rats (n=5) in each group. The groups were designated Sc=sea level controls; St=sea level trained; Fc=hypoxic exposed (16% O₂) controls; Ft =hypoxic exposed (16% O₂) trained; Pc=intermittent hypoxic exposed (18%, 16%, 14%, 16%, 18% O₂ for two days each) controls; and Pt=intermittent hypoxic exercise trained. Exercise training consisted of 45min/day running on a rat treadwheel for 24 consecutive days. Fiber type distribution, succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) activity and glycogen content of the soleus muscle and the oxidative enzyme activity of the motoneurons of the soleus were measured in each group after the 24 days of hypoxic exposure and exercise training. In comparison to each training group's control the glycogen concentration of the soleus muscle was increased (P<0.05) regardless of hypoxic exposure. Only the intermittently hypoxic exercise trained group (Pt) demonstrated a fiber type shift of slow-twitch oxidative to fast-twitch oxidative glycolytic fibers. Neither hypoxia or exercise training altered the oxidative enzyme capacity of the soleus motoneurons.