new exercise guidelines for people with type 2 diabetes

From Medscape Medical News, 6-6-06:
June 6, 2006 — The American Diabetes Association (ADA) developed a consensus statement with recommendations regarding exercise for patients with type 2 diabetes, and published it in the June issue of Diabetes Care.

Recommended lifestyle measures for prevention of type 2 diabetes are as follows:

• People with impaired glucose tolerance should begin and continue a program of weight control, including at least 150 minutes per week of moderate to vigorous physical activity and a healthful diet with modest energy restriction. Lynn's note: that works out to about 22 minutes of activity every day. Moderate to vigorous means that you sweat!
  
  
• The amount and intensity of recommended aerobic exercise vary according to goals. To improve glycemic control, assist with weight maintenance, and reduce risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD), the panel recommends 150 minutes per week or more of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity (50% - 70% of maximum heart rate), and/or 90 minutes per week or more of vigorous aerobic exercise (> 70% of maximum heart rate). The physical activity should be distributed over at least 3 days per week, with no more than 2 consecutive days without physical activity.
  
  
• Compared with lower volumes of activity, performing at least 4 hours per week of moderate to vigorous aerobic and/or resistance exercise physical activity is associated with greater CVD risk reduction.
  
  
• For long-term maintenance of major weight loss (≥ 13.6 kg or 30 lb), larger volumes of exercise (7 hours per week of moderate or vigorous aerobic physical activity) may be helpful. Lynn's note: this recommendation is in line with research from the National Weight Control Registry which advocates 60-90 minutes per day of moderate or vigorous activity for both weight loss AND weight maintenance.
  
  
• Unless contraindicated, people with type 2 diabetes should be encouraged to perform resistance exercise 3 times per week, targeting all major muscle groups. This should progress to 3 sets of 8 to 10 repetitions at a weight that cannot be lifted more than 8 to 10 times. Initial supervision and periodic reassessments by a qualified exercise specialist are recommended to ensure that resistance exercises are performed correctly, to maximize health benefits, and to minimize the risk of injury. Lynn's note: make sure to get your doctor's OK before you start an exercise program if you have diabetes!

"Exercise alone, without concomitant dietary caloric restriction and behavior modification, tends to produce only modest weight loss of [approximately] 2 kg. Weight loss is typically this small primarily because obese people often have difficulty performing sufficient exercise to create a large energy deficit, and it is relatively easy to counterbalance increased energy expenditure through exercise by eating more or becoming less active outside of exercise sessions."

If you have questions or concerns, talk to your diabetes educator, Registered Dietitian, and/or physician.

Eat well, live healthy!
Lynn