Type 2 diabetes is a condition that has been on the rise in America for quite some time now. Around 37.3 million people – ages 18 and older have diabetes in America. That is 11.3% of the entire U.S. population. The condition is caused when the body becomes resistant to insulin so cells can not absorb glucose and convert it into energy and when the pancreas can’t produce enough of it. Resistance is usually a byproduct of lifestyle factors(primarily obesity, diet, and physical activity) and genetics. After developing diabetes, individuals need to be more mindful and cautious with their diets and activity levels to not worsen their symptoms

Exercise is one of the most important factors when it comes to lowering the chances of obesity and Type 2 Diabetes. It is also great for reducing symptoms if you already have diabetes. Benefits include lowering blood pressure, weight management, lowering harmful cholesterol(LDL), raising healthy cholesterol(HDL), and improving your overall health.

The American Diabetes Association(ADA) states that adults with diabetes should participate in at least 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous aerobic and resistance training exercise. This should be spread over to minimize days without any activity. Regular exercise helps prevent weight gain and reduces blood pressure. Exercise also helps with glucose control by the muscles and fat cells since when exercising, muscles can take in glucose to use for energy much easier, lowering blood sugar levels. This causes the body to become more sensitive to insulin, instead of resistant to it. Meeting all these physical activity suggestions lowers the cardiovascular mortality rate by 40% which is extremely important for people with diabetes as their rate of mortality by cardiovascular disease increased by two-six fold.

Exercise, Diabetes, and Race.

34.3% of Americans with diabetes are physically inactive, meaning less than 10% of the 150 minutes per week doing moderate to vigorous intensity exercise. Only 23 are even meeting those guidelines. A worldwide set of data from 358 surveys across 168 countries from around the world, showed that 27.5% of the world was physically inactive in 2016. The highest rates of this were in Latin America (43.7% physically inactive), South Asia (43% physically inactive), and Western countries (42.3% physically inactive). This is a major problem, considering people in these countries have a two to six times higher likelihood of developing diabetes.

There are many barriers, socially and psychologically, that play a part in the lack of exercise for those specific ethnicities. It’s usually the direct stress on the cardiovascular system during exercise, and the increased risk of hypoglycemia, which is when blood sugar falls to levels below the norm. Studies have also shown variation in response to activity depending on race/ethnicity, saying that some do not respond well to exercise and see the benefits of lower blood pressure and increased insulin sensitivity. They don’t feel the effects of exercise compared to others because of their biology. Implementation of culturally relevant solutions to reduce these exercise disparities could help significantly. Overall, exercise is one of the best ways to manage Type 2 Diabetes, but not everyone is doing that.

References

Education and Racial-Ethnic Differences in Types of Exercise in the United States – PMC (nih.gov)

The Role of Exercise in Diabetes – Endotext – NCBI Bookshelf (nih.gov)

Exercise and Diabetes – The Johns Hopkins Patient Guide to Diabetes (hopkinsdiabetesinfo.org)

The importance of exercise when you have diabetes – Harvard Health