Fitness Professionals: November is Diabetes Awareness Month
Did you know in 1980, according to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), 5.6 million Americans had been diagnosed with diabetes? This had more than doubled by 2000, with 12 million reported cases of diabetes. If this trend were to continue, by 2020 there would be an estimated 24 million diabetics in the United States alone. However, in 2012 the American Diabetes Association (ADA) estimated that 9.3% of the population, or 29.1 million Americans, have diabetes. This has occurred at the cost of $245 billion dollars in healthcare, including: medicinal needs, pharmacology and advanced research. Not only has the number of diabetic patients continued to increase, they have increased at exponential rates that are not only staggering but alarmingly to fitness and medical practitioners.
The National Association for Fitness Certification (NAFC), an esteemed educator in the fitness industry, stresses that fitness professionals, not limited to: personal trainers, group instructors, lifestyle consultants, and wellness practitioners have a responsibility to become educated not only in regards to symptoms of diabetes, but also in how to create sustainable programs that meet the needs of diabetic clients.
What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a hormonal disease that occurs when the body cannot make or cannot use insulin efficiently. Insulin, which is produced in the pancreas, regulates blood sugar levels. When the body does not efficiently use glucose, or blood sugar, it builds up in the blood, thereby raising blood glucose levels. Presenting symptoms of diabetes can include: frequent urination, excessive thirst, unexplained weight loss, extreme hunger, changes in vision, tingling or numbness in the hands or feet, dry skin, irritability, and lethargy. These symptoms coincide with insulin levels and the inability of glucose to effectively enter the cells.
While there are several types of diabetes, including gestational and others based on illness, patients are primarily diagnosed as being type I or type II diabetics. Type I, or insulin-dependent diabetes, most consistently effects youth. Researchers suspect type 1 diabetes is triggered by environmental conditions. After exposure, they believe, the immune system becomes compromised, the pancreas is attacked, and the body stops making insulin. Type II, on the other hand, is an insulin-resistant form of diabetes; it more commonly affects adults. Although studies have suggested that regular physical exercise and moderate weight loss are instrumental in preventing (and delaying) type II diabetes, many type II diabetics also require medication. The best medication for prevention and the delaying of symptomology is an exercise program that addresses the health, fitness, dietary and emotional well-being of the diabetic client.
Training Diabetic Clients
Exercise and proper nutrition are instrumental in improving the overall health and wellness of diabetic and pre-diabetic patients. NAFC stresses how important it is that fitness trainers provide sound, research-based strategies when creating programs to train this population of clients. As such, these clients can receive great benefit from working with personal trainers and from taking group fitness classes.
For diabetic clients, fitness professionals should:
Encourage physical activity. Walking, cycling, running, swimming, stair climbing, participation in fitness classes, and sports are excellent ways to increase physical activity.- Motivate clients to participate in daily moderate to vigorous exercise, in intervals of at least 30 minutes. This will not only increase physical health but mental health as well.
- Develop strength training programs, as this will build muscle and increase metabolic functioning. Include at least 2 days of strength training to a fitness program; however, avoid heavy lifting, especially if a client is suffering from other complications (i.e. hypertension, blood vessel or visual problems).
- Establish a flexibility routine. This will increase the client’s range of motion, decrease the occurrence of injury, and increase blood circulation.
- Insist clients check their glucose levels prior to each workout session, and ask clients to always carry a snack or glucose tablets, or with them. Some clients may also need to check their levels at the conclusion of their workout.
- Increase movement and activity throughout the day, not just when working with a trainer. Suggest wearing a pedometer to track steps taken, take the stairs instead of the elevator, park as far as possible from an entrance, and stretch often!
- Ensure clients train in socks and shoes. Diabetic patients may struggle with neuropathy (nerve damage), or poor circulation. Shoes will protect their feet. Further, wearing shoes will reduce the occurrence of blisters, sores, or other irritations of the feet.
In order to ensure improved and sustained health, in addition to regular exercise, clients should stay hydrated and consume well-balanced, nutritious, and frequent meals. Skipping meals is devastating to the diabetic body because food manufactures glucose and creates energy. This balance is necessary for ideal body functioning.
Fitness practitioners must recommend training programs that address the full needs of the diabetic client. When diabetics develop a strong sense of awareness and recognition of their blood sugar needs, they are able to quickly address imbalances. Listening to and watching these clients and developing honest relationships with them, will clue the trainer into what they may be physically feeling during any given training session. This awareness and knowledge creates strength, accessibility, and adherence to a diabetic’s workout.
Conclusion
The prevalence of diabetes is not declining; rather, it is climbing at an astounding rate. As a fitness professional, the likelihood of working with a diabetic client continues to rise; best practices are essential for the health, wellness, and safety. Diabetics benefit tremendously from exercise, and trainers have a responsibility to not only train diabetic clients, but to train them using best practices guided by u-to-date research. Diabetics can have a full, enjoyable life, and as their trainer you should, appreciate their needs and create your programs using effective methodologies.
*In part two, we peek into the diabetic’s gym bag and analyze pre and post workout power meal options.*
References:
American Diabetes Association. (2014). Diabetes basics. Retrieved from http://www.diabetes.org/diabetes-basics/?loc=db-slabnav
Centers for Disease Control. (2014). What is diabetes. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/basics/index.html
National Institute of Health. (2014). Diabetes. Retrieved from http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/diabetes.html
Dr. Brown serves as Director of Education for the National Association for Fitness Certification. Learn more about NAFC at their website.
