The epidemic of
diabetes mellitus has already become a serious global health threat. In the past three decades, the number of people with
diabetes mellitus has quadrupled globally, and
diabetes mellitus is known as the ninth major cause of death in the world nowadays. The increasing prevalence of
type 2 diabetes mellitus is in coincidence with the augmentation of
obesity in most developed countries as well as in developing countries. A sedentary lifestyle is well-known as one of the major reasons for the rising epidemic of
type 2 diabetes mellitus besides the other reasons such as adopting energy-dense diets relative to the actual need for energy and population aging. Exercise as a regular physical activity at a medium to vigorous intensity is found to be an efficient influencer that would switch back most of the known
type 2 diabetes mellitus factors toward healthier positions. Exercise is proven to have clinical benefits, such as improved
insulin sensitivity, reductions in
glycosylated hemoglobin (A1C) and increased peak oxygen consumption (VO2peak) which are definitely preventive toward diabetes. Exercise training can favorably affect glycemic parameters, the
lipid profile, blood pressure, and
high-sensitivity C-reactive protein. Exercise improves
blood glucose control in
type 2 diabetes, reduces cardiovascular risk factors, and regulates
body weight by reducing body fat percentage and enhancing lean mass. In this chapter, the effect of regular exercise on the prevention of diabetes and short-term
glucose and energy metabolism will be discussed. In addition, the effect of exercise on most common complications of
type 2 diabetes including
cardiovascular diseases,
dyslipidemia, nephropathy, neuropathy, and retinopathy will be reviewed.