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Diabetes

For people living with diabetes, moving more is good for your overall health and your diabetes. Every step taken to moving more can help you with managing your condition, so there’s plenty of ways you can find movement that works for you.

Diabetes page

Benefits of moving more

Diabetes can affect you in unpredictable ways, making it hard to know how you’ll feel or what type of activity you should do. 

There are many benefits of being active when you have type 1, type 2 or other types of diabetes. Moving more can:  

  • Help the body use insulin better by increasing insulin sensitivity. 

  • Help you look after your blood pressure, because high blood pressure means you’re more at risk of diabetes complications. 

  • Help people with type 2 diabetes improve their HbA1c. In some cases, this can help people with the condition go into remission.

Hints and Tips

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Hints and Tips Getting started

Digital tools to help you move

Explore a variety of free online resources designed to help you stay active. With countless videos, articles, and guides at your fingertips, you can start whenever you like.

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Ways to get active

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5I5 Preview
Downloads Getting started

Five in Five

Start building small amounts of activity into your day with Five in Five, a five minute mini-workout designed for people living with long term health conditions.

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FTM Kitchen
Videos Getting started

Kitchen Routine with Bill Bailey

Whether you're waiting for the kettle to boil or the microwave to ping, work up a sweat in the kitchen with these bite-sized movements from Bill Bailey!

Anne Dance
Videos Workout

Dance with Anne

Chair-based dance teacher Anne Little takes you through a really fun and energising dance session, broken down into 5 minute chunks with some really uplifting music.

Alex Energy
Videos Workout

Energy with Alex

Follow along from the comfort of your home as personal trainer Alex Orton guides you through mood-boosting moves to support your energy and stamina.

Michelle Boxing
Videos Workout

Boxing with Michelle

Join Michelle for a boxing workout that packs a punch. Follow along from the comfort of your home to energising music which will support you to improve your coordination.

Our stories

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Our stories Diabetes

Simon’s story

Simon is determined to not let his diabetes stand in the way of his great love for table-tennis.

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Our stories Diabetes Dancing

Meg’s story

Meg fits in little moments of activity into her daily life while living with type 2 diabetes.

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Our stories Diabetes Getting active at home

Darren’s story

Darren’s sense of humour has helped him manage living with diabetes and arthritis. This comes in doubly handy when it comes to household chores.

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Our stories Diabetes Football

Chris’s story

Chris has gone from hiding his type 1 diabetes to playing football with an entire team of players who also have diabetes.

Older people page
Our stories Diabetes Dancing

Zahoor’s story

After being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, Zahoor made a point of finding more ways to fit activity into his life.

Diabetes UK Short

Diabetes UK

We are Diabetes UK. We’re the leading charity for people living with all types of diabetes in the UK. Our vision is a world where diabetes can do no harm – it’s why we campaign for better care, give support in times of need and fund ground-breaking research into new treatments and a cure. Over 5 million people are living with diabetes in the UK, and millions more are at an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes – diabetes doesn’t stop, and neither do we.

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