Exercise Your Way to Fewer Diabetes Complications.
D-coding the Article - Physical Activity and Risk of Major Diabetes-Related Complications in Individuals with Diabetes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Observational Studies
Published Date:
Dec 2022
Published By:
Rietz, M., Lehr, A., Mino, E., Lang, A., Szczerba, E., Schiemann, T., Herder, C., Saatmann, N., Geidl, W., Barbaresko, J., Neuenschwander, M., & Schlesinger, S.
Approved By:
TO BE
Decoded By:
Asra H. Ahmed
MBA, PGCE in Assessment Learning disability, Diabesties Foundation
10 mins to read
- The T1D Takeaway
- The study highlights that regular physical activity can significantly reduce the risk of serious complications, such as heart disease and kidney issues.
- Physical activity is my preference compared to taking more medicines and I genuinely enjoy trying different sports and leisure activities.
- However, it’s essential to carefully monitor blood sugar levels to avoid hypoglycemia while staying active.
Word Wizard
- This study focuses on the impact of physical activity on reducing the risk of long-term diabetes-related complications. It is a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies, examining data from 31 studies up to July 2021.
- The study looked at the impact of physical activity on cardiovascular health; it concluded higher levels of physical activity were strongly linked to a lower chance of developing heart disease and a reduced risk of death in people with diabetes.
- Similarly Higher levels of physical activity were linked to a lower chance of developing small blood vessel issues, like eye problems (retinopathy) and kidney damage (nephropathy), which are common in people with diabetes .
- The researchers looked at 31 studies published before July 2021. They combined and analyzed the results to see how reliable the findings were. They used special methods to make sure the data was accurate and to check for any biases or errors in the studies.
- Physical activity is important for reducing both large and small blood vessel complications in people with diabetes. Even doing less exercise than recommended still provides noticeable health benefit
Summary Snap
Shots
The study explored how physical activity benefits people living with diabetes. It found that being active, even if it’s less than what doctors usually recommend, can greatly help in preventing serious health issues like heart disease, kidney problems, and vision loss caused by diabetes.
Prime Insight
At the time of this study in 2021, 10.5% of people aged 20-79 had diabetes worldwide, and 12.2% of deaths in this group were linked to the condition. People with diabetes are at greater risk for serious health problems like heart disease, stroke, and damage to their eyes, kidneys, and nerves.
Regular physical activity is proven to lower the risk of early death and help prevent diabetes-related complications. Doctors often recommend exercise to manage risk factors such as obesity, insulin resistance, and high blood sugar and cholesterol.
The World Health Organization (WHO) suggests adults with chronic diseases aim for 150-300 minutes of moderate exercise or 75-150 minutes of vigorous exercise each week. Even doing less than these amounts can still help reduce the risk of death.
Exercising regularly can reduce the risk of heart disease and other diabetes-related issues.
Even low levels of physical activity, below the World Health Organization’s recommendations, significantly reduce the risk of major diabetes-related complications.
Recent research suggests that physical activity may lower the risk of issues like kidney and eye problems, but it’s still unclear how much exercise is needed for the best results.
Active people often have other healthy habits like not smoking or eating well, but physical activity alone still shows clear health benefits. It helps reduce diabetes severity, even in those with more advanced cases.
Exercise improves blood sugar, blood pressure, and cholesterol, reducing the risk of diabetes complications like heart disease and kidney problems.
The research synthesized findings from multiple studies and showed that even low levels of exercise reduce risks. Limitations of some studies were less accurate because they relied on people reporting their own activity. More research is needed on the best types of exercise for different diabetes complications.
This finding suggests that every bit of movement counts, making physical activity more accessible and beneficial for individuals with diabetes, regardless of fitness level.
Exercising regularly can reduce the risk of heart disease and other diabetes-related issues. Even small amounts of exercise can make a big difference to your health. The more you move, the better your chances of avoiding complications.
In short, if you have diabetes, staying active is a great way to stay healthier and prevent complications, even if you can’t always do a lot of exercise
- A Deeper Dive
- To explore further the risks and benefits of exercise, focusing on the challenge of preventing hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) during and after exercise for individuals with Type 1 Diabetes.
- Further understanding on effect of specifically aerobic exercise can be gathered from: Effect of Aerobic and Resistance Exercise on Glycemic Control in Adults With Type 1 Diabetes
- The Sources Voice
Although evidence needs to be strengthened, these findings suggest that physical activity, even at lower levels, may be beneficial in reducing the relative risk of major diabetes-related complications.
- Curiosities Clarified
The study explored whether regular physical activity could reduce the risk of complications such as cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, and eye problems in individuals with diabetes.
The study aimed to determine whether physical activity has a protective effect against complications in both types of diabetes.
The study reviewed whether different forms or intensities of physical activity (e.g., moderate vs. vigorous) have varying impacts on the risk of complications.
The study analyzed whether there was a threshold or minimum amount of exercise that significantly reduces the risk of complications.