Aerobic and resistance training can help diabetes, experts say

(Frances L Fruit)

If you have type 2 diabetes, new research released November 24 suggests that a combination of aerobic exercise and weight lifting can help get your glycemic levels in check.

Although it is generally accepted that regular exercise provides substantial health benefits for people with type 2 diabetes, the exact exercise type (aerobic vs. resistance vs. both) has been unclear, states the release.

The US-based study enlisted 262 sedentary men and women with type 2 diabetes in a program of aerobic training, resistance training, or a combination of both for nine months. While all groups lost weight, only the combination group saw improvement in their blood glucose levels. The study was published in the November 24 issue of the medical journal JAMA.

To reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes altogether, a recent study published in August suggests that tucking into more spinach and other green leafy vegetables can help. Eating one and a half extra servings of green leafy vegetables cut the risk of diabetes by 14 percent, but eating more fruit and vegetables combined had negligible impact, researchers found.

Type 2, the most common form of diabetes, has spread fast from rich countries to fast-developing economies as fatty, sugary diets and sedentary lifestyles take hold. More than 220 million people worldwide are afflicted with the disease, which kills more than one million people every year, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). As obesity rates increase, the number of deaths could double between 2005 and 2020, the WHO has said.

To acccess the exercise study:
http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/abstract/304/20/2253