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Type 2 Diabetes and Lifestyle Habits: Key Points
Physical Activity
Physical inactivity leads to insulin resistance, which is often associated with visceral adiposity and glucose intolerance leading to T2D. Regular physical activity helps maintain a healthy weight and reduces the risk of T2D. Studies show that the combination of aerobic exercise and strength training can help reduce glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and thus improve glycemic control in patients with T2D.
The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) recommendations for people with diabetes are as follow:
- Perform at least 150 to 300 minutes per week of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity, or 75 to 150 minutes per week of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity, or an equivalent combination of moderate and vigorous-intensity aerobic activity, preferably spread throughout the week.
- Also perform moderate to high-intensity strength training activities that involve all major muscle groups, at least twice a week.
In Conclusion
In conclusion, optimizing quality and duration of sleep, managing stress through relaxation, a healthy diet with little or no processed foods, and regular physical activity are four effective lifestyle habits to adopt in order to help control T2D. SOSCuisine’s meal plans, based on the Mediterranean diet and customizable according to the allergies, intolerances and preferences of each individual, are a simple and effective way to follow a varied and balanced diet with little or no processed foods.
Sources
1) Larcher et coll. (2015) Sleep habits and diabetes. Diabetes & Metabolism; 41:263–71.
2) Tsereteli et coll. (2022) Impact of insufficient sleep on dysregulated blood glucose control under standardised meal conditions. Diabetologia;65(2):356-365.
3) Dias et coll. (2020) The longitudinal association of changes in diurnal cortisol features with fasting glucose: MESA, Psychoneuroendocrinology; 119: 104698.
4) American Diabetes Association (2019) Nutrition Therapy for Adults With Diabetes or Prediabetes: A Consensus Report. Diabetes Care;42:731–754
5) Barnes (2020) « Diabetes Canada Position Statement on Low Carbohydrate Diets for Adults with Diabetes: A Rapid Review. » Canadian Journal of Diabetes
6) McMacken et Shah S (2017). A plant-based diet for the prevention and treatment of type 2 diabetes. J Geriatr Cardiol;14(5):342-354.
7) Pawlak (2017) Vegetarian Diets in the Prevention and Management of Diabetes and Its Complications. Diabetes Spectr; 30(2):82-88.
8) Kumar et coll. (2019) Exercise and insulin resistance in type 2 diabetes mellitus: A systematic review and meta-analysis, Annals of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine; 62 (2):98-103.
9) Uusitupa et coll (2019) Prevention of Type 2 Diabetes by Lifestyle Changes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Nutrients;11(11):2611.
10) Kanaley et coll. (2022) Exercise/Physical Activity in Individuals with Type 2 Diabetes: A Consensus Statement from the American College of Sports Medicine. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise; 54 (2):353-68.
Author
Kathryn holds a Bachelor Degree in Nutrition as well as a Bachelor and a Master Degree in Kinesiology, all from Laval University. She is a Registered Dietitian and active member of the Ordre professionnel des Diététistes Nutritionnistes du Québec (ODNQ) and of the American Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. She holds the Monash University's certification for the FODMAP diet and IBS, and has considerable clinical experience in that area. She is also an accomplished athlete, having ran track and cross-country at a national level. Kathryn specializes in sports nutrition, weight loss, diabetes, as well as heart and gastrointestinal health.
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