Exercise in the therapy of diabetes mellitus

Abstract

Exercise has been advocated for patients with diabetes for centuries, but it was only in 1990 that the American Diabetes Association (ADA) felt there was enough evidence of benefit to recommend exercise as a routine part of the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Since that time, the use of exercise in the treatment of type 2 diabetes has become well accepted, although its place in the treatment of type 1 diabetes remains less clear. In recent years, the role of exercise in the prevention of type 2 diabetes and in the treatment of the metabolic syndrome has proven to be of particular interest. Indeed, current research seems to confirm a role for both aerobic exercise as well as resistance training in both the treatment and the prevention of the disease. Nevertheless, our understanding of the complex interactions of exercise with diabetes is still incomplete, and the most effective ways to use exercise in the treatment of the disease are still under investigation. © 2010 Springer-Verlag US.