United States – A new study shows that the inability to exercise due to the fear of having a low blood sugar crash is the major reason people with type 1 diabetes avoid getting the recommended amount of exercise, as reported by HealthDay.
Nevertheless, the subjects were substantially more willing to exercise if their doctor explained how to adjust the diabetes condition in the process of exercising, the researchers said Thursday at the annual European Association for the Study of Diabetes held in Madrid.
Key Findings from the Study
“In order to break down the barriers to physical activity and empower our patients to exercise safely and effectively, we need to improve the education we provide and our dialogue about exercise in clinics,” said lead researcher Catriona Farrell, a clinical senior lecturer in diabetes with the University of Dundee in Scotland. “In turn, this should help them to achieve the multitude of health benefits that exercise offers.”
As Farrell pointed out, type 1 diabetes patients can reap numerous health advantages from exercising on a regular basis.
“People with diabetes can attain their blood glucose targets, enhance their body composition and fitness, and lower their Heart attac Catriona Farrellks and Strokes risk,And that is significantly higher in those with type one diabetes, through exercise,” Farrell said in the meeting’s news release.
“Yet many people living with type 1 diabetes do not maintain a healthy body weight or manage to do the recommended amount of physical activity each week,” Farrell added.
Barriers to Physical Activity
In this investigation, the authors asked 463 men and women with type 1 diabetes concerning 13 barriers that could hinder them from exercising in the next six months.
Some of such factors included lack of control over diabetes, the possibility of developing a hypo, frequent feelings of fatigue, dangers of injuring oneself, low fitness levels, and lack of support from friends or relatives.
The study, therefore, revealed that, indeed, concern over a blood sugar crash was one of the primary reasons why some diabetics avoid exercise.
The Role of Healthcare Providers
Yet, if individuals comprehend how to manage their insulin dose and carbohydrate intake before and after exercise, they are not as afraid of hypoglycemia anymore as the researchers determined. And both of them can help avoid a blood sugar drop due to exercise, as reported by HealthDay.
Individuals also felt better about exercise if they discussed it with a healthcare provider in a diabetes clinic, according to the findings.