Exercise Reduces Risk of Diabetes
In the US, about 0.5% of adults have type 1 diabetes and 10% have type 2 diabetes. Type 1 diabetes usually begins in childhood and involves destruction of the insulin producing cells in the pancreas. Type 1 diabetics can not make insulin and must take injected insulin and monitor their blood sugar for the rest of their lives. Type 2 diabetes usually begins in adults and involves insulin resistance- ie. insulin produced by the body does not control blood sugar effectively.
Exercise and proper diet can greatly reduce the risk of getting type 2 diabetes and can often control type 2 diabetes when it occurs. A US study of 3,150 moderately overweight adults at risk for developing type 2 diabetes followed subjects for 2.8 years. Some subjects were randomly assigned an intensive “lifestyle intervention” which included nutritional counseling for a well balanced diet which limited sugar and animal fat, along with at least 2.5 hours of moderate exercise per week (such as walking, bicycling and swimming). Other subjects received no specific treatments and were considered the placebo group. Subjects receiving the lifestyle intervention had a 58% lower incidence of developing type 2 diabetes as compared to the placebo group. (results statistically significant). In addition, following the 2.8 years intervention, the lifestyle intervention group had significantly lower body weight, significantly lower blood cholesterol and significantly lower blood levels of LDL (“bad”) cholesterol and triglycerides. The subjects randomized to the lifestyle intervention group also required significantly less medicine for high blood pressure (hypertension) and high levels of blood cholesterol (hyperlipedemia) as compared to the placebo group.
This research is published in the November 14, 2009 Lancet.
Even modest amounts of exercise can be very useful in reducing the risk or controlling type 2 diabetes. People should select one or more types of exercise they enjoy and exercise for at least 30 minutes at least 3 times per week. Excellent aerobic exercises include walking, jogging, swimming, bicycling, rowing, tennis, golf (walk course), exercise class, dancing, gardening work, heavy housework etc.