Exercising for a few hours each week could cut diabetes risk by a third

Want to reduce your chances of type 2 diabetes? According to the findings of a new study, weightlifting could be the key.

The new study into diabetes was conducted over a period of 8 years and involved researchers monitoring the health of almost 100,000 nurses in the United States; all middle-aged or slightly older and none of whom had diabetes at the beginning of the study period.

The findings have been published in PLoS Medicine and show that lifting weights, doing press-ups or other similar resistance exercises on the muscles, shows a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes. Current guidelines state that people aged between 19 and 64 should already be doing such exercise at least 2 days a week.

Benefits witnessed in the study arose from also engaging in aerobic workouts such as cycling or fast walking; activities that again healthy people aged between 19 and 64 should be doing for at least 150 minutes per week.

So, how much exercise is sufficient enough to make an impact in this regard? The women in the study who managed to do at least 150 minutes of aerobic activity each week, together with at least an hour a week of muscle-strengthening activities had the most significant drop in risk, reducing their risk of type 2 diabetes by about a third. However, those who only engaged in a total of one hour a week still managed to reduce their risk by about 13%.

It is already known that regular aerobic exercise such as jogging, fast walking, cycling, etc., can help to reduce the risk of diabetes, but the study would suggest that incorporating resistance training will provide an even bigger boost – although this type of training is already recommended by the NHS.

Type 2 diabetes occurs when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin or when the body’s cells are not reacting correctly to insulin. It is estimated that around 90% of adults in the UK with diabetes have type 2 diabetes, commonly in recent times due to a poor diet and obesity. Other risks include a family history of the disease, are over the age of 40 and are of South Asian, African-Caribbean or Middle Eastern origin.

The charity Diabetes UK say that for overweight individuals, each kilogram you lose in weight could equate to up to a 15% decrease in your risk of developing diabetes.

Dr Richard Elliott, spokesman for the charity, commented: “Despite limitations to which this research can be applied to women in general, it underlines the message that leading an active, healthy lifestyle can help to reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes. We know for certain that the best way to reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes is to maintain a healthy weight by eating a healthy, balanced diet and by taking regular physical activity. At this time of year, many people are looking for an easy way to lose weight and be more physically active. We recommend finding an activity you enjoy as you are more likely to stick with it and stay motivated.”

UK’s soaring diabetes cases are a ‘public health emergency’

Many of us may already be aware of the obesity epidemic that is rife not only in the United Kingdom but over in the U.S. too. However, closely linked to this issue is an increasing problem of diabetes which in itself seems to be an epidemic of its own.

According to new research, a staggering three million people have been diagnosed with diabetes in Britain – equating to 4.6% of the population.

Researchers for Diabetes UK and Tesco have discovered that around 132,000 people were diagnosed with the disease over the previous year and an estimated 850,000 people are believed to have undiagnosed Type 2 diabetes.

There are roughly 24,000 premature deaths each year in England and Wales because of diabetes and without rapid intervention, this death toll will continue to rise. Therefore, supermarket giant Tesco and the charity Diabetes UK have begun a partnership to try and improve the situation. Tesco hope to raise £10 million for the charity to tackle the disease and provide help to those who suffer with it.

In the UK alone, approximately 90% of all adults with diabetes have the Type 2 variation and the partnership will provide funds to launch the biggest ever public awareness campaign focusing on the risk factors for Type 2 diabetes, aimed at the seven million people deemed ‘high risk’ of developing the disease.

In addition to the massive public awareness campaign, the money raised will also be used to develop a new vaccine for Type 1 diabetes as well as helping to identify those 850,000 people who are living with undiagnosed diabetes.

Barbara Young, chief executive of Diabetes UK, warns the situation is a ‘grim staging post towards a public health emergency’.

She says: “We are hugely concerned that the number of people diagnosed with diabetes has reached three million for the first time and there is no reason to think this will mark the end of what has been a rapid rise in the condition. Instead, all the projections suggest that the three million figure will be a grim staging post on the road towards a public health emergency and this unfolding tragedy is already putting huge pressure on the NHS and will have potentially devastating consequences for those people who develop the condition. But this is not inevitable. By identifying those at high risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, we can ensure they start getting support to make the kind of lifestyle changes that can help prevent it. And by making sure people who have Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes are already getting the care and support they need, we can help them avoid the devastating complications diabetes can cause.”

Rebecca Shelley, group corporate affairs director at Tesco, added: “Diabetes affects millions of families and communities across the UK and as today’s news confirms, the number of people with this condition is increasing. Thanks to this important partnership, we have the opportunity to inspire our colleagues and customers to come together, raise awareness and much needed funds to help the millions of people with diabetes in the UK.”

Type 1 diabetes is when the body does not produce insulin and as such is often referred to as ‘insulin-dependent diabetes’. Type 1 diabetes is an auto-immune disease not attributed to any lifestyle factor. With Type 1 diabetes, the pancreas (a small gland behind the stomach) will not produce any insulin (a hormone that regulates blood glucose levels) and anyone who has this kind of diabetes will be required to have injections for life in addition to strictly controlled diet. Diabetes UK state that 10% of all diabetes cases in the UK are Type 1 – usually beginning in childhood or young adulthood.

Type 2 diabetes is far more common than Type 1 and it occurs when the body is not generating enough insulin, or the body’s cells do not properly respond to it (or both). This is referred to as insulin resistance. It mainly affects adults over 40 years of age but in recent years it has become prominent in younger, overweight people. Type 2 diabetes is primarily caused by obesity, consuming too much sugar and leading a sedentary lifestyle. In fact, around 85% of cases of Type 2 diabetes occur in people who are obese and in the UK, about 90% of all adults who suffer with diabetes have Type 2.

Although each can have its own particular symptoms, there are some symptoms that are common for both types of diabetes. These include:

. Feeling very tired.
. Feeling very thirsty.
. Having to urinate often, particularly at night.
. Unexplained weight loss and loss of muscle bulk.

The symptoms of the most common kind of diabetes – Type 2 – can be mild and thus people can go for years without realising they have the disease or receiving a formal diagnosis. If you suspect you have diabetes you must see your doctor as soon as possible as an early diagnosis can decrease the chances of developing more serious problems at a later stage.