Diet & Exercise May Prevent Type 2 Diabetes in Women

Native News Network Staff in Native Health. Discussion »

Together
Improving Lives

BETHESDA, MARYLAND - Women may be able to prevent getting type 2 diabetes by dieting and exercising. A new study suggests that combined, the two activities have the greatest result. Postmenopausal women were separated into four groups for one year.

"We saw the greatest improvement in the diet and exercise group, followed by the diet alone group." Said Dr. Caitlin Mason at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle.

"I'm glad to see this research highlighted by HHS. We continually see that exercise and dietary changes together improve the lives of female (and all) tribal members involved with the Pascua Yaqui Tribe Diabetes Prevention Program," comments Dr. Apryl Krause, manager of the diabetes prevention program at the Tribe.

"Weight loss through dietary modification is obviously a goal, however, exercise makes our bodies feel better overall, decreases depression, and firms muscles that would otherwise stay untoned with dietary changes alone."

Aside from weight loss, exercise showed it has other benefits.

"Exercise seemed to have these special effects. This might have to do with the fact that exercise stimulates muscle and muscle is a major user of blood sugar."

The study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine was supported by the National Institutes of Health, based in Bethesda, Maryland.

posted September 29, 2011 7:30 am edt