Abstract：Lack of regular physical activity is one of the factors contributing to the increased incidence of type 2 diabetes. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to integrate 12 weeks of supportive exercise education into walking for middle-aged and older adults with type 2 diabetes who have irregular exercise habits, and to compare their physical fitness, blood glucose and health-related quality of life. The study recruited 83 patients with type 2 diabetes aged 45 to 75 years old and randomly divided them into an experimental group and a control group. By the end of the experiment, there were 58 valid samples remained (31 males and 27 females). The experimental group (n = 30) underwent supportive exercise education and walking three times a week for 30 minutes per session, and wore a pedometer to record the amount of physical activity throughout the whole process, while the control group (n = 28) maintained a regular daily life of sedentary activities. Physical fitness, blood glucose and SF-36 Taiwan version Health Survey were tested before and after the experiment in each group. Results revealed that the experimental group exhibited significant improvements in walking ability, lower limb muscular endurance, and physical functioning, as well as in areas such as role limitations due to physical problems, general health, vitality, and mental health. These improvements were significantly greater than those in the control group. Furthermore, the experimental group showed significant improvements in fasting and postprandial blood glucose control compared to the control group, although there were no significant effects on glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels. We conclude that integrating supportive exercise education into walking is effective in improving physical fitness, blood glucose control and health-related quality of life for middle-aged and older adults with type 2 diabetes. The findings provide a reference for establishing supportive exercise education networks within community settings and local hospitals, promoting self-management behaviors in patients to increase their participation in physical activity. (Full text)