Exercise, Nutrition, and Diabetes

Exercise has been encouraged for people with diabetes for a long time; an interesting study has recently been released (http://www.foxnews.com/health/2012/12/19/diabetes-cure-diet-and-exercise-work-for-some/) showing some efficacy in advocating exercise and nutritional counseling for people who had Type 2 diabetes. In this particular study, participants had been living with their diabetes for an average of 5 years prior to it beginning. 

Over the course of 4 years, 4500 participants were observed.  They were randomly assigned to 2 groups - one group had very intensive (weekly) counseling sessions for 6 months that included very specific goals to meet in exercise and nutrition.  For the next 3.5 years of the study, they followed up with additional counseling sessions twice monthly.  The other group had a far less intensive counseling regimen, and only attended 3 counseling sessions per year of the study (for a total of 12 sessions over 4 years), and had no exercise or nutrition goals to meet.

The results were quite interesting; after 1 year of the program, participants who had intensive counseling sessions saw a partial remission of diabetic symptoms (on average losing 8.6% of their weight).  What this means is that they returned to a "prediabetic" state in which their blood sugar levels could be controlled purely through diet and exercise without taking medicine.  After 4 years, there was some attrition in this group, but a  statistically significant number still remained in partial remission (on average losing 4.7% of their weight).

In contrast, the group that received minimal counseling sessions saw 0.7% weight loss in the first year, that only increased to 0.8% weight loss after 4 years.  You don't have to be an expert in statistics to see that the general results of this study are promising -- the participants who understood how to manage their Type 2 diabetes through exercise and nutrition, as well as continued accountability to complete their program,  had a far better chance of experiencing remission.

Some final thoughts...

1.  This study included only counseling sessions to identify strategies for exercise and nutrition.  Would the results be better if participants were assigned to exercise sessions with a personal trainer or exercise physiologist who had experience in working with diabetic clients?

2. This study helps show that dramatic weight loss surgeries or diets are not the "only" way to recover from Type 2 diabetes, as many in the medical community would have us believe.  This is information that most of the legitimate fitness and nutrition communities have known for years, and it is great to have more studies showing the truth of it!

3.  If remission is defined in this study as achieving the "pre-diabetic state" that can be controlled without medications, but through diet and exercise, can you imagine the impact this information can have as far as medical insurance is concerned?  This could translate into lower out-of-pocket expenses for families, as well as lower insurance costs for small business owners who are trying to provide insurance for their employees.

4. Fruits and veggies are emphasized in controlling diabetes...hmmm....I might need to beat this dead horse more sufficiently in future blogs....

I definitely encourage you to read this article; it offers great hope for change.  I might be on the verge of being corny here, but knowledge truly is power.  When combined with the accountability and encouragement of others, putting this knowledge into practice can be key in reducing the prevalence of Type 2 diabetes.