Skip to content
women working out together to keep fit, healthy and happy

Physical activity

Regular physical activity is one of the most important things you can do to improve your general health. It can also help manage your diabetes.

The more physically active you are, the greater the health benefits will be. Any activity, even at a slow pace, can have health benefits. Some activity is better than none at all.

Regular physical activity helps:

  • reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke
  • lower blood fats (cholesterol and triglyceride) levels
  • lower your blood pressure
  • assist with weight loss and maintaining a healthy weight
  • improve your mood.

When you have diabetes, there are some extra things to consider before, during and after exercise.

  • blood glucose monitoring
  • adjusting insulin doses
  • high blood glucose levels
  • hypoglycaemia.

Read more about the benefits of physical activity and things to consider in our fact sheets:

Physical activity fact sheet

Regular physical activity is one of the most important things you can do to improve your general health. It can also help manage your diabetes.

Available in other languages Download now
Managing hypoglycaemia fact sheet

Hypos can occur in people who use insulin and some other types of glucose-lowering medications. Learn about how to recognise the signs and manage hypoglycaemia.

Download now
Blood glucose monitoring fact sheet

Checking your blood glucose levels can help you manage your diabetes. You will be able to see what makes your numbers go ‘up’ or ‘down’.

Available in other languages Download now

Check with your doctor before starting any new exercise or activity program. It is important to make sure it is suitable for you.

If you are on insulin or other glucose lowering medications, you may need to take special precautions when exercising, to prevent your blood glucose level from dropping too low (also known as hypoglycaemia or a hypo). Make sure you discuss this with your doctor, diabetes nurse practitioner or diabetes educator.

If you have peripheral neuropathy, or nerve damage usually in hands and feet, it is important to talk to your diabetes health professionals such as a podiatrist before beginning or increasing exercise. This reduces the risk of ulcers and other diabetes-related complications. Ask your diabetes health professionals about looking after your feet when exercising.

Looking after your feet fact sheet

Ask your diabetes health professional if you have very-low, low, moderate, or high-risk feet. Discuss foot checks and how to best look after your feet with them.

Download now
Foot health podcast

Listen to our Annual cycle of care podcast series to learn more about foot health checks and seeing a podiatrist.

Available in other languages Listen now
How healthy are your feet?

Learn the early signs of foot problems and how to look after your feet. Do our foot health quiz to find out if you have very-low, low, moderate, or high-risk feet.

Go to Foot Forward

Physical activity is any movement you do that leads to your muscles needing to use glucose for energy. Exercise is any physical activity you do to improve of maintain your physical fitness. Doing a combination of different types of exercise can help you manage your diabetes. Aim to do at least 30 minutes of moderate intensity aerobic exercise every day and resistance exercise at least two or three times a week.

There are two main types of exercise: aerobic exercise and resistance exercise. Examples include:

Aerobic exercise—walking, dancing, aerobic exercise classes, cycling, swimming, yoga, lawn bowls, and walking up the stairs rather than taking the lift.

Resistance exercise—moving from sitting to standing or doing squats or wall push-ups, machine weights, dumbbells, resistance bands, or household items such as cans of food or bottles of water.

Talk to a qualified exercise professional such as an exercise physiologist or physiotherapist about a resistance program to suit your needs.

Ask your general practitioner (GP) if you are eligible for a rebate from Medicare to see an exercise physiologist or physiotherapist. Check with your private health fund provider to see if they offer rebates for exercise physiologists, physiotherapists, and exercise programs.

Sport and diabetes

Having diabetes needn’t be a barrier to actively enjoying sports and exercise. Sportsmen and women with diabetes are common.

By testing your blood glucose levels around exercise, you can learn how different sports and session lengths affect your blood glucose levels.

My child is starting school

Support for families, schools and health professionals so that kids with type 1 diabetes can stay safe and healthy at school.

Go to Diabetes in Schools

Free access to diabetes programs

Learn to manage your diabetes confidently with diabetes programs, available face-to-face and online. Register for a diabetes program.

Beat It

This 8-week online program will help you on your journey to a healthier and more active life. 

Find an online program

Ready set go, let’s move

Available anywhere, anytime. In these short modules, you’ll build an individualised exercise plan to help you become more active.

Go to Ready set go, let’s move.

Physical activity and type 1 diabetes

This pre-recorded webinar is for people with type 1 diabetes who want to learn how to exercise safely.

Go to Physical activity and type 1 diabetes.

More information and support

  • Call the NDSS Helpline on 1800 637 700 and ask to speak to a dietitian.
Find a dietitian near you

Call Dietitians Australia on 1800 812 942 or you can find an Accredited Practising Dietitian (APD) on their website.

Go to Dietitians Australia
Find a podiatrist near you

Go to the Australian Podiatry Association to find a podiatrist (with specialised knowledge of diabetes) on their website.

Go to Australian Podiatry Association
Find an exercise physiologist near you

Go to Exercise and Sports Science Australia to find an accredited exercise physiologist on their website.

Go to Exercise and Sports Science Australia
Find a health service or health professional near you

Go to healthdirect to find a diabetes health service or diabetes health professional on their website.

Go to Healthdirect

Featured resources

Physical activity fact sheet

Regular physical activity is one of the most important things you can do to improve your general health. It can also help manage your diabetes.

Available in other languages Download now
Managing hypoglycaemia fact sheet

Hypos can occur in people who use insulin and some other types of glucose-lowering medications. Learn about how to recognise the signs and manage hypoglycaemia.

Download now
Blood glucose monitoring fact sheet

Checking your blood glucose levels can help you manage your diabetes. You will be able to see what makes your numbers go ‘up’ or ‘down’.

Available in other languages Download now
Looking after your feet fact sheet

Ask your diabetes health professional if you have very-low, low, moderate, or high-risk feet. Discuss foot checks and how to best look after your feet with them.

Download now

Diabetes Australia acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the Traditional Owners and Custodians of this Country. We recognise their connection to land, waters, winds and culture. We pay the upmost respect to them, their cultures and to their Elders, past and present. We are committed to improving health outcomes for all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people affected by diabetes and those at risk.

Learn about the artwork