Exercise and Type 2 Diabetes
The American College of Sports Medicine and the American Diabetes Association: joint position statement
Abstract
Although physical activity (PA) is a key element in the prevention and management of type 2 diabetes, many with this chronic disease do not become or remain regularly active. High-quality studies establishing the importance of exercise and fitness in diabetes were lacking until recently, but it is now well established that participation in regular PA improves blood glucose control and can prevent or delay type 2 diabetes, along with positively affecting lipids, blood pressure, cardiovascular events, mortality, and quality of life. Structured interventions combining PA and modest weight loss have been shown to lower type 2 diabetes risk by up to 58% in high-risk populations. Most benefits of PA on diabetes management are realized through acute and chronic improvements in insulin action, accomplished with both aerobic and resistance training. The benefits of physical training are discussed, along with recommendations for varying activities, PA-associated blood glucose management, diabetes prevention, gestational diabetes mellitus, and safe and effective practices for PA with diabetes-related complications.
Footnotes
This joint position statement is written by the American College of Sports Medicine and the American Diabetes Association and was approved by the Executive Committee of the American Diabetes Association in July 2010. This statement is published concurrently in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise and Diabetes Care. Individual name recognition is stated in the acknowledgments at the end of the statement.
The findings and conclusions in this report are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official position of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
See accompanying article, p. 2692.
- © 2010 by the American Diabetes Association.
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