Recommendations: Physical Activity

Exercise is an important part of the diabetes management plan Regular exercise has been shown to improve blood glucose control, reduce cardiovascular risk factors, contribute to weight loss, and improve well being1 Regular exercise may also prevent type 2 diabetes in high-risk individuals2-4 A joint position statement by ADA and the American College of Sports Medicine summarizes the evidence for the benefits of exercise in people with type 2 diabetes5 Recommendations for physical activity for people with diabetes1 are summarized on this slide People with diabetes should be advised to perform at least 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity (50-70% of maximum heart rate) (A) In the absence of contraindications, people with type 2 diabetes should be encouraged to perform resistance training three times per week (A)57References American Diabetes Association. Standards of medical care in diabetes—2013. Diabetes Care 2013;36(suppl 1):S24-S25. Knowler WC, Barrett-Connor E, Fowler SE, et al, for the Diabetes Prevention Program Research Group. Reduction in the incidence of type 2 diabetes with lifestyle intervention or metformin. N Engl J Med 2002;346:393-403. Tuomilehto J, Lindström J, Eriksson JG, et al.; Finnish Diabetes Prevention Study Group. Prevention of type 2 diabetes mellitus by changes in lifestyle among subjects with impaired glucose tolerance. N Engl J Med 2001;344:1343-1350. Pan XR, Li GW, Hu YH, et al. Effects of diet and exercise in preventing NIDDM in people with impaired glucose tolerance. The Da Qing IGT and Diabetes Study. Diabetes Care 1997;20:537-544. Colberg SR, Sigal RJ, Fernhall B, et al. Exercise and type 2 diabetes. The American Collegoe of Sports Medicine and the American Diabetes Association: joint position statement. Diabetes Care 2010;33:2692-2696.