Introduction
Exercise helps people maintain better control over blood glucose levels and aids in weight loss, which are significant risk factors for diabetes. Physical activity alleviates typical health difficulties among elderly diabetics, such as poor balance and flexibility. Regular exercise is critically essential for effective glucose management. Understanding how type 2 diabetes elevates blood glucose levels shows how exercise might be beneficial. The pancreas produces the hormone insulin, which allows cells to take glucose from the blood and utilize it as an energy source. As a remedial measure, the pancreas generates more insulin to stimulate the cells’ response. In contrast, blood glucose levels progressively increase when the pancreas cannot keep up with the required rate. This essay will analyze significant facts on the interlinkages between metabolic outcomes, physical activity levels in patients with type 2 diabetes, and strategies to promote patient engagement in physical activity.
Evidence-Based Review of the Role of Physical Activity in the Management of Type 2 Diabetes
Working out relieves the symptoms of type 2 diabetes in several ways. It raises insulin sensitivity, enabling the cells to use any insulin present more effectively and absorb glucose from the blood (Pan et al., 2018). In addition, because of the contractions that occur during exercise, muscle cells can take in glucose even when insulin is not present in the body. The effects of exercise on blood glucose levels remain for approximately 24 hours after a physical activity session (Pan et al., 2018). Aerobic training has been shown to reduce blood pressure, triglyceride levels, and the results of the A1C test, which measures the blood glucose level on average over the previous two to three months (Delevatti et al., 2019). Diabetes is a factor that increases the likelihood of having inadequate muscle strength.
Increasing one’s muscular mass and strength through resistance training is an effective way to combat this effect. Stretching activities improve a person’s flexibility and range of motion, while balance training lowers the danger of falling and makes walking more efficient. Tai chi has improved balance, increased quality of life, and minimized diabetes symptoms that damage the neurological system (Pan et al., 2018). Detraining produces a rapid decrease in muscle capillary density, oxidative capacity, lipid metabolism, and insulin signaling proteins, all of which were augmented by regular training (West & Bell, 2021). Even without a drop in body mass, strength training, and aerobic exercise both produce changes in skeletal muscle, adipose tissue, and the liver that are related to enhanced insulin action.
Case Study on the Levels of Physical Exercise Among Diabetics in Saudi Arabia
According to the International Diabetes Federation’s projections for 2020, Saudi Arabia will have slightly more than 34.8 million people, and the prevalence of adult diabetes is now 18.3%. According to the International Diabetes Federation, Saudi Arabia has the sixth-highest number of newly diagnosed cases of type 1 diabetes each year (Alzahrani et al., 2019). According to the WHO’s 2016 Diabetes Country Profile for Saudi Arabia, 67.7% of women and 52.1% of men in the adult population of Saudi Arabia were not physically active (Alzahrani et al., 2019). The rate of physical inactivity among the general population of Saudi Arabia is 66.6%, with men having a rate of 60.1% and women having a rate of 73.9%.
Counseling on physical exercise decreases cardiometabolic risks and protects against non-communicable diseases. Alahmed and Lobelo (2019) concur that primary care is the optimal setting for physical activity guidance. Alahmed & Lobelo (2019) note that despite the high incidence of inactivity-related non-communicable diseases in Saudi Arabia, few surveys have explored physical activity counseling in healthcare settings in the region. Therefore, more studies should be done in Saudi Arabia regarding physical exercise while advocating for patients who have diabetes to exercise more.
Changes in Behavior and Policy to Increase Patient Participation in Physical Activity
Doctors should therefore begin evaluating physical activity as a crucial sign if they urge patients to engage in more significant physical activity. Implementing a national approach in which patients are asked how many minutes per week they engage in physical activity is one strategy that has the potential to raise exercise rates in Saudi Arabia significantly (Widmann et al., 2019. Medical practitioners should communicate to patients the importance of maintaining at least 150 minutes of physical activity per week (Yang, 2019). The primary motivation for a person to engage in physical activity should be to improve their health. As previously said, engaging in physical activity has numerous favorable effects on one’s health (Widmann et al., 2019). Some patients may require instruction on how to be physically active and reminders to be physically active. Behavioral interventions have been shown to significantly increase the quantity of physical activity, resulting in better management of diabetes and body mass index.
Patients’ lives are challenging, and they confront numerous obstacles that prohibit them from engaging in physical activity. Physicians need to collaborate on creating environments that facilitate physically active activities. Adults and children would unquestionably benefit from having access to more possibilities for physical activity, which may be promoted by establishing venues dedicated to such pursuits and broadcasting information about their locations. These community-wide projects can build multidisciplinary teams that focus on utilizing community resources to encourage physical exercise in our living, learning, working, and playing environments.
Conclusion
Physical activities are critical because they increase the rate at which glucose is broken down in the body. For people with diabetes, making healthy lifestyle changes that include participating in more physical activities is of the utmost importance. It is the responsibility of those who practice medicine to devise guidelines that make it obligatory for people to participate in sports and other forms of physical activity by educating patients on the value of working out.
References
Alahmed, Z., & Lobelo, F. (2019). Correlates of physical activity counseling provided by physicians: A cross-sectional study in Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia. PLOS ONE, 14(7). Web.
Alzahrani, A. M., Albakri, S. B. B. S., Alqutub, T. T., Alghamdi, A. A., & Rio, A. A. (2019). Physical activity level and its barriers among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus attending primary healthcare centers in Saudi Arabia. Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care, 8(8), 2671. Web.
Delevatti, R. S., Bracht, C. G., Lisboa, S. D., Costa, R. R., Marson, E. C., Netto, N., & Kruel, L. F. (2019). The role of aerobic training variables progression on glycemic control of patients with type 2 diabetes: A systematic review with meta-analysis. Sports Medicine – Open, 5(1). Web.
Pan, B., Ge, L., Xun, Y.-qin, Chen, Y.-jing, Gao, C.-yun, Han, X., Zuo, L.-qian, Shan, H.-qian, Yang, K.-hu, Ding, G.-wu, & Tian, J.-hui. (2018). Exercise training modalities in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: A systematic review and network meta-analysis. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 15(1). Web.
West, M., & Bell, A. M. (2021). Physical exercise for type 2 diabetes: Benefits and types. Medical News Today. Web.
Widmann, M., Nieß, A. M., & Munz, B. (2019). Physical exercise and epigenetic modifications in skeletal muscle. Sports Medicine, 49(4), 509–523. Web.
Yang, Y. J. (2019). An overview of current physical activity recommendations in Primary Care. Korean Journal of Family Medicine, 40(3), 135–142. Web.