Sports and exercise: A positive influence on your health

Diabetes and sport – good for prevention and treatment

Many different factors can lead to type 2 diabetes. In addition to a genetic predisposition, lifestyle – especially lack of exercise and an unhealthy, high-calorie diet – plays an important role. The metabolic disorder can be counteracted with sufficient exercise – even if prediabetes is already present.  

Sport and exercise are not only a good way to prevent type 2 diabetes, but also have a positive effect on people who already have type 1 or type 2 diabetes, because physical activity of any kind prompts body cells to absorb sugar (glucose) from the blood. As a result, the blood sugar level drops. Regular exercise improves the sensitivity of the body cells to insulin, so more glucose can be absorbed from the blood and transferred into the cells. In the medium term, this can help lower the long-term blood sugar level (HbA1c value).

Sport and exercise also reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases such as heart attacks, strokes and heart failure in people with type 2 diabetes. This also applies to people with type 1 diabetes. This is particularly important for people with diabetes, as they have an increased risk of cardiovascular disease compared to metabolically healthy people.

What is most important is regular exercise. This will probably work better and last longer if you find a sport or activity that you enjoy – there is no “one right” sport. Experts recommend a mixture of endurance training and strength training. 

Sports like  

• jogging,
• hiking,
• Nordic walking, 
• swimming, or 
• cycling  

strengthen the cardiovascular system and boost the metabolism.

The intensity with which you should and may exercise depends on your individual state of health. Basically, exercise sessions with even intensity, for example regular walking or jogging, are suitable. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that adults get at least 150 to 300 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise every week. This means, for example, walking briskly or doing gardening work.

If more intensive training is preferred, the WHO recommends at least 75 to 150 minutes of endurance exercise every week, for example fast swimming or jogging. Spread your exercise sessions over the week so that you are not inactive for more than 2 days at a time.

Interval training is also useful, in which high-intensity exercisesalternate with low-intensity exercises. This has particularly positive effects, for example on the cardiovascular system. High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) improves physical fitness and reduces cardiovascular risk factors such as high blood pressure.

In addition to endurance sports, strength exercises are also recommended to promote long-term health. If you train your muscles, you increase your muscle mass and reduce the amount of fat in your body. This strengthens the musculoskeletal system and boosts the metabolism. More muscles, which are also used during strength training, consume more energy, thus lowering the blood sugar level. Studies also show that strength training at least 2 days a week reduces the risk of dying from cardiovascular disease.

Strength training can be done in the gym, but also at home. At least 2 strength training sessions per week are ideal, in which the most important muscle groups are trained with the help of dumbbells, for example. These muscle groups include the back, chest, buttocks, shoulders and the muscles on arms and legs. In addition, exercises using your own body weight, such as squats, are effective. Try to do 2 to 3 sets of 10 repetitions of each exercise, for example: Do 10 squats, then a dumbbell exercise for the upper arm muscle (biceps) and then other exercises. At the end of the set, start again from the beginning and repeat the exercises 1 or 2 more times.

Sport for people with cardiovascular disease

Anyone who already suffers from high blood pressure or heart failure or has had a stroke can prevent the progression of the disease or reduce the risk of another stroke by exercising regularly. Even with simple exercises such as jumping jacks or squats at home, you can increase your physical activity. Initially perform these exercises for 30 seconds and then take a break of 30 seconds. Then do the next exercise.

Cardiovascular training for people aged 60 and over 

You can start an active lifestyle at any age. Endurance or cardiovascular training is explicitly recommended for women and men of all ages. They are also no problem for people aged 60 and over. Quite the contrary: Seniors over 60 in particular have a higher risk of heart failure, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure or vascular disease. They benefit all the more from an exercise program to reduce their individual risk of disease.

• Fun is half the battle: Choose a sport that you enjoy and that fits into your everyday life. If you have not been active in sports before, it helps to join a sports club where you can do your training together with other people.
• Always and everywhere available: Many people also use online courses, videos, apps and other digital health programs to motivate themselves, especially to start an active life. 

The Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices (BfArM) lists all digital health applications (DiGA) for which you can obtain a prescription from your doctor – for example, specifically for people with high blood pressure or diabetes. They are therefore paid for by the statutory health insurance. Important: Digital health applications must be registered with the BfArM to be acknowledged as such.

Exercise and sport are important for an active and healthy life. It doesn’t have to be training for a marathon. With a mixture of regular endurance training, light strength exercises and minor behavioral changes, you can incorporate significantly more exercise into your everyday life.

Would you like to get started and incorporate more exercise into your everyday life? The diabinfo training plans can support you – whether or not you have previous sporting experience!