There are approximately 24 million people with diabetes in the United States and almost 95% of these individuals have the insulin-resistant, type 2, form of the disease. There are also an estimated 57 million with pre-diabetes with an increased cardiovascular disease risk and a strong likelihood for developing diabetes. Exercise has been shown to improve insulin sensitivity in these patients, but compliance to exercise has been extremely poor. Previous studies of exercise training in type 2 diabetes have used traditional land-based exercise. Currently, there is no literature evaluating the benefits of aquatic exercise in this population.

This presentation will present current recommendations on exercise in diabetes care with a special emphasis on how water exercise may have specific benefits for those with diabetes. It is imperative for researchers and aquatic exercise practitioners to study the safety and health and fitness outcomes of training programs in water for diabetes health care professionals to accept water exercise as a recommended activity for their 81 million patients.