Building Competency in Diabetes Education THE ESSENTIALS

5-42 | CHAPTER 5

A1C and body fat have been achieved with twice-weekly resistance exercise in combination with regular aerobic exercise (179-182). The use of weight machines and/or free weights may be more effective at improving A1C than resistance bands or exercises utilizing one's own body weight (182). The benefits of resistance exercise in type 1 diabetes are less clear. There may be improvements in body composition and strength, enhanced insulin sensitivity and possibly modest reductions in A1C (183). Compared to aerobic exercise, resistance exercise is associated with less hypoglycemia risk for people with type 1 diabetes (184,185). High-intensity interval training may lead to greater improvements in cardiorespiratory fitness in people with or without diabetes (186,187), and may improve glycemic control in people with type 2 diabetes compared to continuous moderate-intensity exercise (187,188). High-intensity interval training involves alternating between short periods of higher and lower-intensity exercise. The intervals can be from 30 seconds to three minutes each. In people with type 1 diabetes, high-intensity interval exercise appears to be associated with less risk for hypoglycemia during the activity, compared to continuous aerobic exercise (189,190). Exercise can be an effective adjunct to weight-loss and weight-maintenance regimens, and weight loss can lead to improved glycemic control. Get Active Tip Sheets (1) can be used as a reference for those with uncomplicated diabetes and no other medical conditions.