Exercise Improves Quality of Life, Study Shows
For a happier life, it’s time to get moving. According to a new study out of Great Britain, exercise provides a big boost when it comes to living with diabetes.
According to researchers at the University of Bath, exercising just three times a week improves the quality of life-boosting both mental and physical health-for overweight people diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.
The study, which appeared in the British journal Diabetes Care, was conducted over a nine-month period, and followed three groups of people who performed aerobic exercise, resistance training or a combination of the two, along with a sedentary control group.
In assessing physical, emotional, and social aspects, the researchers found that those who exercised over the nine-month period-especially those who mixed aerobic and resistance training-had the most improved quality of life compared to those who were couch potatoes,.
“Our findings have significant clinical implications and support recommendations for individuals with type 2 diabetes to adopt exercise programs with combined aerobic and resistance training,” said Dr. Conrad Earnest, the professor at the study’s helm.
“A moderately intensive exercise program consistent with public health recommendation in sedentary individuals with diabetes is likely to result in improved quality of life and exercise interventions should be advocated further as a standard care for individuals with diabetes.”
The study is timely, since 3 million people in Great Britain have been diagnosed with diabetes, a record 4.6 percent of the population.
“All in all, our study shows that even if you have a life-changing illness, a little bit of exercise goes a long way for improving your outlook on life,” Earnest added.
