ABSTRACT
Diabetes is one of the commonest and most serious chronic diseases, threatening both quality of life and premature death if poorly managed. Ideally, management of diabetes includes not only drug treatment, but also sustained lifestyle modifications, in particular a balanced diet and regular exercise. Perhaps the most important complication of diabetes is progressive kidney damage - diabetic nephropathy, with loss of many renal glomeruli, micro-albuminuria and, eventually, end-stage renal failure. Type 1 diabetes may be considered as 'acute beta-cell failure', in which an unknown disease process destroys all beta cells in the pancreas, leading to an absolute insulin deficit. Type 2 diabetes may be thought of as 'chronic beta-cell failure', with a gradual, progressive reduction in insulin secretion and a resulting rise in plasma glucose levels. Exercise should be a major feature of the management plans of most diabetics, whether type 1 or type 2.
