Effects of a 6-month exercise program on ectopic fat accumulation in heart, liver and skeletal muscle in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Background
Ectopic fat accumulation is common in type 2 diabetes and is associated with
insulin resistance, a worsening of glycemic control, lipid abnormalities and
increased risk for cardiovascular disease. It occurs in heart, liver and
skeletal muscle. Life style changes are a pillar of therapy. Although changes
in diet could have beneficial effects on ectopic fat accumulation, this is less
clear during exercise training. It is also unclear how ectopic fat deposits in
different organs relate to each other at baseline and during the exercise
program.

-Determination of the effects of an exercise program on ectopic fat
accumulation in heart, liver and skeletal muscle
-To assess the relationship between metabolic and inflammatory parameters with
changes in MRI outcome
-To assess the differences in ectopic fat accumulation in female diabetic
patients and female healthy controls at baseline

Open, prospective intervention study with duration of 6 months

Exercise program during 6 months
All patients will receive an individualised exercise program. Every month
patients will report the amount of exercise, details on diet and they will
carry the SenseWear during this week to measure caloric consumption. Each
patient will have a coach.

The healthy controles will only get a baseline MRI-scan, but no intervention

The individualised exercise program stimulates patients to exercise 5 times a
week for minimal 30 minutes per training. This program including a coach, does
not cost the patients extra money.
The burden of the study includes the two MRI-scans, during which patients have
to lie still. We expect no harmful effects of the MRI-scan, if
contra-indications are carefully checked.