Operation Transformation highlights how exercise can prevent type 2 diabetes
RTÉ’s Operation Transformation continues to highlight how people can delay or prevent the onset of type 2 diabetes by taking regular exercise.
There are up to 30,000 people with undetected type 2 diabetes in Ireland and 146,000 people with undetected pre-diabetes, estimates a recent VHI Healthcare study. If someone is at risk of developing type 2 diabetes they can minimise this risk by eating a healthy diet and getting moderate exercise.
The evidence shows that physical activity and modest weight loss can lower the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 58% in groups of people who are at high risk of developing the condition.
The more risk factors or symptoms someone has the more likely they are to have undetected diabetes or pre-diabetes.
If someone is worried, they should speak to their GP and tell them why they think they may have type 2 diabetes. A simple diabetes test will ease any worries they may have.
Moderate aerobic exercise can prevent or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes because exercise improves insulin sensitivity (how insulin works in the body) and lowers blood glucose levels even in the absence of weight loss. Losing weight also has a dramatic effect when it comes to avoiding type 2 diabetes, or reducing complications for people who already have the condition.
The American Diabetes Association and the American College of Sports Medicine say that trials show that exercise programmes of 12-16 weeks resulted in:
- Significant reduction in body fat
- Gains in strength and muscle mass.
Research clearly shows that regular physical activity can also:
- Improve lipid (fat) levels
- Help maintain a healthy blood pressure
- Prevent cardiovascular events like heart attacks
- Prevent premature death
- Improve quality of life
While 150 minutes exercise a week, will produce all these benefits, that amount of exercise alone will not have a dramatic effect on weight unless people also eat a healthy diet. The most successful programmes for long-term weight control have involved combinations of diet, exercise, and changing behaviour. People who successfully maintained large weight loss over a year, typically carried out seven hours a week of moderate to vigorous exercise.
This means that while moderate exercise will give immediate results in terms of having healthy blood glucose control and preventing type 2 diabetes, people need to do more if they also want to control their weight.
