Exercise is medicine-the importance of physical activity, exercise training, cardiorespiratory fitness, and obesity in the prevention and treatment of type 2 diabetes
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
1-1-2013
Abstract
Type 2 diabetes has reached epidemic proportions worldwide and is associated with increased risk for cardiovascular diseases and premature mortality. Diet and physical activity (PA)-based lifestyle interventions have been shown to prevent progression to type 2 diabetes in patients at high risk. Regular PA substantially reduces the risk for type 2 diabetes and a high level of PA is associated with a substantial reduction in type 2 diabetes risk. In addition, there is strong evidence suggesting a steep inverse relationship between both PA and cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and mortality in patients with type 2 diabetes. Of particular concern is the dramatic, steep increase in mortality among patients with low CRF. An important point is that obese individuals who are at least moderately fit have a lower mortality risk than those who are normal weight but unfit. A large body of evidence demonstrates that exercise improves glycemic control in type 2 diabetes; the greatest improvements are achieved with combined aerobic and resistance training. A primary goal of public health strategies is to promote PA and move patients out of the least fit, high-risk cohort by increasing PA among the least active. Any plan to deal with the global epidemic of type 2 diabetes must give major attention to low PA and how this can be reversed in the general population.
Publication Source (Journal or Book title)
US Endocrinology
First Page
95
Last Page
100
Recommended Citation
Lavie, C., Johannsen, N., Swift, D., Sénéchal, M., Earnest, C., Church, T., Hutber, A., Sallis, R., & Blair, S. (2013). Exercise is medicine-the importance of physical activity, exercise training, cardiorespiratory fitness, and obesity in the prevention and treatment of type 2 diabetes. US Endocrinology, 9 (2), 95-100. https://doi.org/10.17925/use.2013.09.02.95