"Us" vs. "Them"? - Type 2 and Type 1 diabetic Athletes

Today: Spent 40 minutes on an indoor bike cross training. 10 miles.


pre-workout BG: 105

post-workout BG: 87



Yesterdays run:

4 miles on the treadmill

pre: 99

post: 102

7 mph pace



I started reading Sheri  Colberg's Diabetic Athlete's Handbook a couple of days ago. This is a tremendously important resource for any diabetic athlete, or diabetic interested in exercise. It is the only book I can find right now that is geared towards diabetics who are athletes, however you define that (and more on that later). Most exercise resources for diabetics are either 1) very basic for obese or elderly diabetics 2) very minimal: most books on self-management of diabetes include a chapter at most on exercise 3) clinical books that people without any medical background can't understand.

Dr. Colberg's book, and many of the resources contained within are a breath of fresh air in community stifled with stale nutrition and exercise advice. She points readers to groups that are working with diabetic athletes as well and are promoting active lifestyles as a way to self-manage diabetes. Here are some of the groups:

http://www.insulindependence.org/

http://diabetestrainingcamp.com/

What I am finding though is that every website and book committed to promoting exercise and athleticism among diabetics, while paying lip service to Type 2 diabetics, the overwhelming focus is on Type 1s. Every athlete "spotlight" in Colberg's book is on a Type 1 athlete. Every athlete trained for the 2008 Wisconsin Ironman from the insulindependence group was a Type 1 diabetic. At diabetestrainingcamp.com, when you click on "type 2" you are directed to a "lifestyle" camp (read fat camp). If you click on "type 1" you are directed to one of the multi-sport camps that focus on running, swimming, cycling, etc. The very name "insulindepence" suggest a focus on Type 1 athletes who need insulin. The Diabetes Exercise and Sports Association (DESA) theme is: "powered by insulin".

While both DESA and insulindepence.org are inclusive in their mission statements and explanation of themes by saying that insulin is important to everyone whether Type 1, Type 1.5, Type 2, or Type 3 (traditionally non-diabetic supporters), the fact is that diabetic athletes are overwhelmingly considered to be Type 1. Why is this the case when Type 1 diabetics make up between 5 and 10% of ALL diabetics? Well, I guess it has something to do with the fact that about 80% of all Type 2 diabetics are obese (typically a body mass index, or BMI of over 30); Usually obese people are not athletes. Usually they don't exercise. Usually they are older.

 But 20% of Type 2s are not obese, and that adds up to a lot more of non-obese Type 2s, than non-obese Type 1s. So why isn't anybody talking about or showcasing Type 2 athletes? I think it comes down to a couple of things. 1st, when most people think of Type 2 diabetics, they think of overweight people. There is usually a judgment associated with that: "they did that to themselves" ... sometimes this is true, sometimes it isn't. 2nd, most Type 2s are adults over 30, and we don't typically associate people over 30 with athletes. But there are a lot of "adult-onset athletes" out there, and my aim is to help make a lot more. And to show case those who are out there doing it.

 Of course, all of this depends on how you define "athlete". I would define athlete as anyone who trains regularly to participate in a sport. You don't have to be world class. Do you know how often runners win races? The overwhelming majority: almost never. American Meb Keflezighi, 34 years old, won his first marathon this year, winning the NYC marathon, the first American to do so since 1982.

 "Training regularly" is the most important aspect of the definition. There aren't a lot of chances to participate in endurance competitions outside of running for adults in the over 30 age group. We need to do more about that too.