This Habit Could Cut Your Type 2 Diabetes Risk in Half, New Study Says

From eatingwell.com

Keep your cardio routine, but don’t skip the weights 

KEY POINTS 

• Experts recommend you engage in both aerobic and muscle-strengthening exercise each week.
• Individuals who incorporate both types of exercise may have a lower type 2 diabetes risk.
• Moving throughout the day and performing body-weight exercises are good places to start.

If you’ve ever gone to the gym to exercise, chances are you’ve witnessed firsthand the divide between those doing cardio and those doing strength training. On one side of the gym, you have the aerobic exercisers logging miles on the treadmill, shuffling on the elliptical or riding a stationary bike. On the other, you’ve got resistance trainers repping out chest presses, dropping into weighted squats or curling dumbbells into biceps curls.

And while neither the cardio-lovers nor the strength-trainers are right or wrong, there can seem to be a divide between the two. That’s despite recommendations that adults should get both types of exercise each week—at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity, plus two days of muscle-strengthening activity. Research also suggests that engaging in both types of physical activity is associated with a lower risk of several chronic conditions, including heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancer.

Now, new research adds to the case for incorporating both aerobic exercise and resistance training. A recent study published in the Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport found that people who regularly engaged in both aerobic and muscle-strengthening activities had a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes along with several chronic conditions.

                                                          Credit:  Design elements: Getty Images. EatingWell design

How Was the Study Conducted?

Researchers gathered data for this study from the HABITAT (How Areas in Brisbane Influence Health and AcTivity) cohort, a large study of more than 11,000 adults ages 40 to 65 living in Brisbane, Australia. The cohort followed participants over nearly a decade, with surveys conducted in 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013 and 2016.

For this analysis, researchers used a sample size of about 8,000 individuals from the HABITAT cohort. The researchers looked at participants’ physical activity and health history. Participants reported their physical activity by tracking how much time they spent walking and doing moderate- and vigorous-intensity physical activity, as well as how often they participated in muscle-strengthening activities like weight lifting and other exercises designed to increase strength.

Researchers then grouped participants into categories based on whether they met the recommended amount of aerobic activity, muscle-strengthening activity, both or neither. The recommended amount of aerobic activity was at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity per week, while the recommendation for muscle-strengthening exercise was at least two days per week.

In addition to tracking their physical activity, participants also reported whether they had been diagnosed with long-term health conditions, defined as conditions lasting six months or longer. For this study, researchers were specifically interested in the development of diabetes (both type 1 and type 2), cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure and cancer.

Overall, the aim of this study was to investigate the combined effects of meeting both aerobic and muscle-strengthening exercise guidelines and whether that had an impact on the incidence of those four major chronic diseases.

What Did the Study Find?

Researchers found that meeting both aerobic and muscle-strengthening activity guidelines was associated with about 50% lower odds of developing type 2 diabetes. There was also a potential association with lower risk of developing high blood pressure, cancer and heart disease, though those findings were less consistent.

In terms of the types of physical activity participants engaged in, the results looked like this:

• Aerobic activity only: About 50% of participants met only the aerobic activity guideline from 2007 to 2011, falling to about 40% from 2011 to 2016.
• Muscle-strengthening activity only: About 1% of participants met only the muscle-strengthening guideline throughout the study period.
• Both aerobic and muscle-strengthening activity: About 12% met both guidelines from 2007 to 2011, increasing to about 23% from 2011 to 2016.
• Neither activity guideline: About 37% of participants met neither guideline throughout the study period.

Together, these numbers highlight how much more common aerobic activity was than strength training among participants. And, although the percentage meeting both guidelines increased over time, muscle-strengthening activity alone remained uncommon.

The strongest and most consistent finding was the association between meeting both physical activity guidelines and lower odds of developing type 2 diabetes. Some findings also pointed to lower odds of heart disease, cancer and high blood pressure among participants who met one or both activity recommendations, but those associations were less consistent.

How Does This Apply to Real Life?

Researchers emphasized the importance of promoting both types of activity in public health initiatives to highlight the value of this combined approach for chronic disease prevention. The study also highlights a potential gap in physical activity, as aerobic activity was much more common than muscle-strengthening activity among participants. Making sure people understand that resistance training is an important part of a health-promoting exercise routine could help close that gap.

It’s probably no surprise that regular physical activity is associated with better health outcomes and a lower risk of developing certain chronic conditions like type 2 diabetes. This study adds to a growing body of evidence that both aerobic activity and muscle-strengthening exercise have a place in a well-rounded physical activity routine. While it may feel overwhelming to incorporate both types of exercise into your schedule, we’ve rounded up a few simple strategies to help you bring more movement into your week in an approachable, sustainable way.

• Break up movement throughout the day. It’s not necessary to get all your aerobic activity from one long sweat sesh. Instead, consider things like taking the stairs instead of the elevator, going for a 20-minute walk during lunch or squeezing in a few jumping jacks between meetings.
• Start with body-weight exercises. You don’t need a home gym—or a gym membership—to strength-train. Exercises like squats, lunges, push-ups and planks can help build muscle using your own body weight.
• Build a routine you can maintain. Schedule workouts at times that realistically fit into your week. Staying consistent is the most important.
• Make it social. Take a workout class with a friend, join a walking group or find a strength-training buddy. Having someone to move with can make physical activity more enjoyable and provide extra motivation.
• Don’t forget recovery. More exercise isn’t necessarily better. Give your muscles time to recover between aerobic and strength-training sessions, especially when you’re starting a new routine.

Our Expert Take

The results from a recent study published in the Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport suggest that meeting both aerobic and muscle-strengthening activity guidelines may be particularly beneficial for type 2 diabetes prevention. While the study found some associations between physical activity and lower odds of heart disease, high blood pressure and cancer, those findings were less consistent. That said, these findings add to a growing body of research that suggests that the combination of both activity types is important in chronic disease prevention.

https://www.eatingwell.com/exercise-diabetes-risk-study-12064005

The importance of a workout regime to check type 2 diabetes

From argusnews.in

New Delhi, Nov 6: Physical activity or a regular workout regime is a key element in managing type 2 diabetes. Until recently studies showing the significance of exercise to manage diabetes were very less. However, now we can see that there is plenty of research highlighting the importance of exercise to manage blood glucose levels effectively.

The research indicates that participation in a regular workout regime improves blood glucose control, preventing or delaying the onset of type 2 diabetes, and boosts your body's sensitivity to insulin, countering insulin resistance.

Also, regular physical activity positively affects blood pressure, and cardiovascular health, lower harmful LDL cholesterol and triglycerides raise healthy HDL cholesterol, strengthens muscles and bones, reduces anxiety, and improves your general well-being.

How does exercise affect blood glucose levels?

Early in the exercise, the glycogen stores are utilized as fuel. Further when the glycogen stores are depleted, the muscles increase the uptake of blood glucose along with the free fatty acids released from the adipose tissues.

Muscles can utilize your blood glucose without insulin intervention when you're doing physical activity.

What type of activity helps in diabetes management?

All forms of exercise such as aerobic, resistance, or doing both in a structured workout regime has shown to lower HbA1c values in people with diabetes.

Resistance training and aerobic exercise both help to lower insulin resistance, however, combining the two types of exercise proved more beneficial than doing either one alone. In a recent meta-analysis, aerobic, resistance, and combined exercise training were found to be associated with HbA1c reductions of 0.67 per cent following 12 or more weeks of training.

Hence people with diabetes need to maintain a healthy workout regime.

Resistance training for diabetes

70-80 per cent of the glucose in your body after a meal goes into the muscles. Maintaining a good muscle mass is essential for better glucose uptake. Hence adding resistance training to the workout regime becomes highly important.

Emerging research suggests that resistance training has the power to combat metabolic dysfunction in patients with Type 2 Diabetes and seems to be an effective measure to improve lower metabolic risk factors in diabetes individuals and improve overall metabolic health. A meta-analysis of 10 included supervised resistance exercise studies, RT reduced HbA1c by 0.48 per cent.

Resistance exercise further increases excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC). EPOC after exercise is related to the utilization of fat as fuel which is beneficial for weight loss.

Resistance training appears to be a useful strategy to enhance overall metabolic health and lower metabolic risk factors in diabetic patients since it appears to improve insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance.

Aerobic training for diabetes

In both type 1 and type 2 diabetes, moderate to high levels of aerobic activity are significantly linked to decrease cardiovascular and total mortality risks.

In type 2 diabetes, therapies using aerobic exercise have dominated the research about the impact of exercise on glycaemic indices. Large muscular groups are moved continuously and rhythmically during aerobic activity, which includes activities like cycling, jogging, and walking. According to the most recent ADA recommendations, individual aerobic activity sessions should preferably last at least 30 minutes each day and be carried out 3 to 7 days a week.

Moderate to vigorous (65 per cent-90 per cent of maximum heart rate) aerobic exercise training improves VO2max cardiac output, which is associated with substantially reduced cardiovascular and overall mortality risk in patients with type 2 diabetes.

In individuals with type 2 diabetes, regular training reduces hbA1c and insulin resistance Alternatively, high-intensity interval training (HIIT) promotes insulin sensitivity and glycaemic control in adults with type 2 diabetes.

Aerobic exercise boosts the number of mitochondria, insulin sensitivity, oxidative enzymes, blood vessel compliance and responsiveness, immune system activity, lung function, and cardiac output.

While aerobic exercises are good on their account, it is important to make sure there is a combined activity of both aerobic and resistance training for better benefits.

What precautionary measures should I take before exercising?

Checking your blood sugars before your workouts can help you understand your body better and start taking necessary precautions.

When your blood sugars are lower than 100 mg/dL, it may be too low to exercise safely. Eat a small snack containing 15 to 30 grams of carbohydrates, such as a fruit (banana or apple- they digest quickly and give you better energy) before you begin your workout.

When your blood sugars are 100 to 250 mg/dL You're good to go. This is a safe blood sugar range before exercise for the majority of people. If you feel like you need extra energy, you can still eat fruit before working out.

When your blood sugars are 250 mg/dL or higher, then it's not safe to exercise as the blood sugars are too high. Consult with your physician for controlling the blood sugars and then follow their instructions before doing any activity because exercise can sometimes raise blood sugar even higher.

Exercise plays a critical role in the prevention and treatment of insulin resistance, prediabetes, GDM, type 2 diabetes, and diabetes-related health issues. Hence, it's ideal to follow a regular workout regime to maintain healthy blood glucose levels and thereby manage diabetes.

https://argusnews.in/article/lifestyle/the-importance-of-a-workout-regime-to-check-diabetes

Exercise you should and should not do if you have diabetes

From thejakartapost.com/life

Exercise and physical activity are deemed essential for people with diabetes, as it helps control sugar levels in the body.
However, not all types of exercise are recommended, because some movements will actually worsen the patient's condition.
Indonesian Endocrinology Association (PERKENI) chairman Ketut Suastika told tempo.co that one type of exercise that was not recommended was anaerobic or heavy physical activity. Examples of such activity are weightlifting, jump rope and push-ups.
According to Ketut, these activities can create oxidative stress in the body, which will increase blood sugar levels and can eventually complicate a patient’s health disorder.

For maximum results, Ketut recommends exercising for 30 minutes a day.  (Shutterstock/Martinina)

“Take the example of lifting weights. If done by diabetic patients with diabetic retinopathy or retinal disorders in the eye, it can accelerate blindness,” he said during a recent event in Jakarta.
The recommended exercise is the opposite, namely aerobics, which can help control blood sugar levels. Examples of such physical activity are walking and jogging.
Ketut recommends exercising for 30 minutes a day. 
"At least 150 minutes per week. So, if you skip two days at the weekend, it's still okay. This is a method that is really effective for [keeping in check] your diabetes, " he said.

https://www.thejakartapost.com/life/2019/07/13/exercise-you-should-and-should-not-do-if-you-have-diabetes.html