How moving more helps lower your risk of diabetes

How moving more helps lower your risk of diabetes

According to Diabetes UK, around 13.6 million people in the United Kingdom are at risk of developing type 2 diabetes. 

There are some risk factors you can’t change, such as your age, ethnicity or medical history.  

But unlike type 1 diabetes, which is often diagnosed in childhood and is currently incurable, there are steps you can take to decrease your risk. 

Research has shown that a combination of positive lifestyle changes can as much as halve your chances of developing type 2 diabetes - a condition that can, in turn, contribute to other serious health conditions such as heart disease, kidney disease and stroke. 

One of the most important things you can do is to eat more healthily and maintain a healthy weight. You can find help and support to do this on our website (there's a link at the bottom of this article) and you’ll also find information leaflets at Wigan Borough libraries (just ask a member of staff!) 

Waist size is particularly important too since there’s a strong link between the levels of fat surrounding the liver and pancreas, and your risk of type 2 diabetes. A healthy waist size in women is less than 80 cm (31.5 inches) while for men it’s less than 94 cm (37 inches) or 90 cm (35 inches) for men of South Asian ethnicity. 

Keeping active is also one of the very best things you can do to prevent type 2 diabetes. Here’s why...

Weight management 

Physical activity helps you maintain a healthy weight by burning calories. The more active you are, the more energy you’ll use and the less your body will store as fat. 

Public Health England says adults with obesity are five times more likely to be diagnosed with diabetes than adults of a healthy weight.  

Around 90 per cent of adults with type 2 diabetes are overweight or living with obesity, and people with severe obesity are at greater risk of type 2 diabetes than those with a lower BMI.

Insulin sensitivity 

Insulin is an essential, naturally occurring hormone that helps your body use sugar (glucose) for energy. Type 2 diabetes occurs when your pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin, or your body can’t use the insulin as it should. 

Physical activity increases your ‘insulin sensitivity’, which means you require smaller amounts of insulin to use glucose as energy. 

Simply put, then, being more active helps lower your blood sugar levels.

Building your muscles 

Physical activity improves muscle mass and function, and research has shown that increasing your muscle mass reduces your risk of type 2 diabetes. 

That’s because muscles use significant amounts of glucose as fuel, thereby helping to keep your blood sugar levels in check. 

Movement - and particularly resistance exercises using free weights, weight machines or even your own body weight (e.g. push ups, sit ups, leg raises and squats) - help to build, strengthen and tone your muscles.

Relieving stress 

Whether it’s running, swimming, hitting the gym, playing sport or even just going for a walk around the park, getting active is great for relieving stress. 

While stress alone doesn’t cause diabetes, there is some evidence that there may be a link between stress and your risk of developing type 2 diabetes. 

Research from Diabetes UK suggests that high levels of stress hormones in your body might stop insulin-producing cells in your pancreas from working as they should - meaning they make less insulin. 

Many people also deal with stress by overeating - often turning to fatty or sugary treats - which could lead to them putting on weight and therefore increase their diabetes risk.

Know your risk… Are you at risk of type 2 diabetes? It only takes a few minutes to find out thanks to Diabetes UK’s free online Know Your Risk calculator (external link). 

The Diabetes UK website (external link) also has plenty of information about preventing and living with diabetes.

Want help with your weight? Head to our weight management webpage for advice and support.

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