Here's how exercise can benefit diabetics

Washington: If a person is diabetic but does exercise, then according to a new study they can shed kilos from their waist, lose body fat and can even control blood glucose.

In a research conducted by the UT South western Medical Center, researchers found that waist circumference, percentage of body fat and hemoglobin A1c levels improved in diabetic participants who exercised compared to those who did not.

Dr. Jarett Berry said that during the research they observed that exercise improves diabetes control regardless of improvement in exercise capacity.

During the research, the researchers typically measured fitness by the ability of the respiratory system to exchange carbon dioxide and oxygen.

But a sub-group of exercisers, considered non-responders, were unable to improve their cardio-respiratory fitness levels despite diligent exercise.

The data analysis during the study found that hemoglobin A1c, waist circumference and percentage of body fat improved in the people that exercised.

The study proposes that exercise-training programs for people with Type 2 diabetes should measure improvements in glycemic control, waist circumference, and percentage of body fat.

The study is published in Journal Diabetes Care.