Best Fitness Plan

America’s obesity epidemic has been accompanied by an epidemic in type 2 diabetes, a disease that causes premature death, coronary artery disease and stroke. Type 2 diabetes is linked to insulin resistance and malfunction of cellular insulin receptors. Exercise is important for preventing and managing the disease. Brazilian scientists found that a combination of aerobics and resistance exercise was better than aerobics or resistance exercise alone for improving fitness and metabolic control in type 2 diabetics. While all forms of exercise resulted in improved health, the combined exercise program was best at improving blood sugar control, blood fats, blood pressure and systemic inflammation. The July 2011 exercise recommendations from the American College of Sports Medicine advised people to participate regularly in aerobics, weight training and flexibility exercises. (Metabolism Clinical and Experimental, 60:1244-1252)