Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2021 Sep 29;33(5):535-547.
doi: 10.1515/jbcpp-2021-0279. eCollection 2022 Sep 1.

The complex relationship between physical activity and diabetes: an overview

Stefano Palermi  1 , Olimpia Iacono  2 , Felice Sirico  1 , Michele Modestino  2 , Carlo Ruosi  1 , Rocco Spera  1 , Mariarosaria De Luca  2
Affiliations
Review

The complex relationship between physical activity and diabetes: an overview

Stefano Palermi et al. J Basic Clin Physiol Pharmacol. .

Abstract

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a widespread condition, representing a challenging disease to manage. Exercise is being increasingly recommended as part of the therapeutic regimen for DM but the management of different forms of physical activity is difficult for individuals with diabetes, trainers, and physicians. Regular exercise can improve health and well-being, helping individuals to achieve their target lipid profile, body composition, cardio-respiratory fitness, and glycemic goals. People with diabetes tend to be as inactive as the general population, with a large percentage of individuals not achieving the minimum amount of recommended physical activity levels. Indeed, several barriers to exercise exist for persons with diabetes, including sports eligibility, multi-modality management of diabetic athletes, and inadequate knowledge about adequate type and intensity of exercise. The aim of the present review is to provide the current understanding of mechanisms, recommendations, and beneficial effects of different modalities of exercise for the treatment of DM.

Keywords: aerobic training; diabetes mellitus; exercise; physical activity; resistance training.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. American Diabetes Association. Diagnosis and classification of diabetes mellitus. Diabetes Care 2009;32:S62–7. https://doi.org/10.2337/dc09-S062.
    1. CDC. National diabetes statistics report, 2020. Available from: https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/data/statistics-report/index.html?CDC_AA_re....
    1. American Diabetes Association. Classification and diagnosis of diabetes. Diabetes Care 2015;38:S8–16.
    1. Bansal, N. Prediabetes diagnosis and treatment: a review. World J Diabetes 2015;6:296–303. https://doi.org/10.4239/wjd.v6.i2.296.
    1. Cosentino, F, Grant, PJ, Aboyans, V, Bailey, CJ, Ceriello, A, Delgado, V, et al.. 2019 ESC guidelines on diabetes, pre-diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases developed in collaboration with the EASD. Eur Heart J 2020;41:255–323. https://doi.org/10.1093/eurheartj/ehz486.

LinkOut - more resources