Exercise helps keep type 2 diabetes under control

Reported by Susan Aldridge, PhD, medical journalist

A daily walk may be as good as medication for controlling type 2 diabetes.
We already know that exercise and a healthy diet are key to managing type 2 diabetes. Now a review of the evidence from the University of Sydney reveals more about how those with type 2 diabetes actually benefit from exercise. In studies covering 377 participants, a wide range of exercise - from resistance training and aerobics to qi gong - was found to help with blood sugar control. This was measured through glycated hemoglobin levels (the A1C test).

Those who exercised had a significant shift in their AIC test - equivalent to what you might expect from medication for type 2 diabetes. They also had a lowering of blood lipid levels and lost more fat around the middle - compared to people who did not exercise. The researchers believe that modest amounts of exercise give significant gains to those with type 2 diabetes. A daily walk, for example, may be all that is needed to start getting blood sugar under control.

Source
The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews Issue 3 2006