Objective: To evaluate the effect of exercise prescription intervention among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), so as to provide the evidence for guiding appropriate physical activity and glycemic control in this population. Methods: In July 2023, T2DM patients managed by two community health service centers in Qingjiangpu District, Huai'an City, Jiangsu Province, were selected as the study participants and randomly assigned divided into a control group and an intervention group. The control group received routine chronic disease management under the basic public health services, while the intervention group, in addition to receiving the same routine chronic disease management, was provided with exercise prescription to guide their physical activity at baseline (T0), after 3 months of intervention (T1), and after 6 months of intervention (T2). Data on weight-related indicators, glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), and blood lipid were collected through physical examinations and laboratory tests at T0 and after 12 months of intervention (T3). The differences in indicators between the two groups before and after the intervention were analyzed using generalized estimating equations. Results: The intervention group consisted of 197 patients, including 99 males, accounting for 50.25%. The median disease duration was 7.10 (interquartile range, 7.80) years, and 113 patients had suboptimal HbA1c levels, accounting for 57.36%. The control group included 196 patients, including 99 females, accounting for 50.51%. The median disease duration was 6.10 (interquartile range, 7.00) years, and 100 patients had suboptimal HbA1c levels, accounting for 51.02%. Before the intervention, no statistically significant differences were observed between the two groups in gender, educational level, disease duration, pharmacological treatment, smoking, alcohol consumption, and HbA1c levels (all P>0.05). In the intervention group, the proportion of participants engaging in aerobic exercise and strength training increased from 78.17% and 8.12% at T0 to 85.79% and 16.24% at T3, respectively (both P<0.05). The results of the generalized estimating equations revealed significant interactions between group and time for waist-to-hip ratio, total cholesterol (TC), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) following the intervention (all P<0.05). A statistically significant difference in waist-to-hip ratio was found between the two groups (P<0.05), with a greater reduction observed in the intervention group compared to the control group. Significant differences in TC and LDL-C levels were noted across different intervention time points (both P<0.05). Specifically, the intervention group demonstrated reductions of 0.35 mmol/L in TC and 0.42 mmol/L in LDL-C from baseline to follow-up (both P<0.05). Conclusion The 12-month exercise prescription intervention can effectively enhance exercise participation and reduce waist-to-hip ratio, TC, and LDL-C levels among patients with T2DM.