People of South Asian origin have age-standardised rates of type 2 diabetes ~2-4 fold higher than white people of European descent (Sattar and Gill, 2015). South Asians also have lower levels of muscle mass and strength and our recent work has shown that this low muscle strength is associated with their higher diabetes risk (Ntuk et al., 2017). This indicates that South Asians in particular may benefit from increases in muscle mass and function. The most efficacious way to increase muscle mass and function is through resistance exercise but this has rarely been investigated in South Asians. The aim of the current study, therefore, was to compare the effects of resistance exercise training on muscle mass and function in South Asians and White Europeans. Participants were 17 South Asian (24±4 years, 24.58±4 kg/m2) and 12 European (32±7 years, 25.19±2.2 kg/m2) men. Body composition (via MRI scan), resting metabolic rate (RMR), fasting blood glucose and 1 repetition maximum (1RM), were measured before and after 12 weeks of twice weekly resistance exercise training (Leg Press, Leg Extension, Leg Flexion, Calf Press, Chest Press, Seated Row, Lat Pull Down, Bicep Curl and triceps Curl). Inter-ethnic differences in responses to resistance training were compared via two-way (time and ethnicity) repeated measures ANOVA using SPSS version 24. Thigh muscle mass increased significantly (P<0.05) with exercise training with no differences (P>0.05) in responses between ethnic groups (South Asians: baseline 12.73±1.12 Litres to 13.19±1.23 Litres at 12 weeks and White Europeans: baseline 13.00±1.02 Litres to 13.23±0.92 Litres at 12 weeks). The sum of the 1RM for both upper and lower body exercises significantly increased (P<0.05) for both groups (1RM for upper body at baseline was 497±108 lb (SA), 536±59 (WE) compared to 626±131 (SA), 699±78 lb (WE) at 12 weeks and 1RM for lower body at the baseline 628±149 (SA), 695±101 (WE) lb compared to 815±231 (SA), 914±123 (WE) lb at 12 weeks), with no significant (P>0.05) differences in responses between ethnic groups. The 12 weeks of resistance exercise had no effect (P>0.05) on Fasting blood glucose, RMR, visceral fat or liver fat with no group or interaction effects observed either. The current study has shown that South Asian men respond to resistance exercise with increases in muscle mass and function and that these responses are of a similar magnitude as in White Europeans. Further work with a larger sample size is needed to confirm these findings and the wider metabolic effects of resistance exercise training in South Asians.