Three Easy Steps to Managing Diabetes Through Family Fitness

Diabetes presents families with plenty of challenges, but can it actually help families get healthier?  We’re exploring the different opportunities diabetes offers the whole family to take control of their health as a group.

Three Easy Steps to Managing Diabetes through Family Fitness

Diabetes presents families with plenty of challenges, but can it actually help families get healthier?

Exercise is one of the key pillars of managing diabetes well. Physical activity helps control blood sugar levels and lowers the risk of heart disease and nerve damage¹: When you are excited about exercise, you can serve as a positive example of fitness for your family members. In turn, their enthusiasm will help keep you moving. In that spirit, here are three tips for encouraging the whole family to get active together.
Ask your friends and family what they do to get their heart rate up. Then make a list based around how often you can do each activity. It might look something like this:

  • Daily Activities: Easy choices that require no planning (e.g., kicking around a football or an evening neighborhood walk).
  • Weekly Activities: Options that require a bit of scheduling (e.g., taking a weekend hike around a nearby nature reserve).
  • Monthly Activities: Larger events you want to plan far in advance (e.g., going kayaking or canoeing around a nearby lake).
    Whatever activities you choose, the American Diabetes Association suggests getting at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise every week². That can sound like a lot of time to fill, but if you keep exploring new and fun activities, the easier it will be to stay active together.

Get ready! Get set! Go! There is no time better than the present to start talking to your family about being more active. Start exploring some fun things to do together that will get your blood pumping and on an exciting path to managing your diabetes.

References:

1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Living with Diabetes: Get Active.Available at https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/living-with/index.html. Accessed on June 17, 2026.

2. American Diabetes Association (ADA). Physical Activity/Exercise and Diabetes: A Position Statement of the American Diabetes Association. Sheri R. Colberg et al. Diabetes Care, Vol. 39, Issue 11, Pages 2065–2079.
Available at https://diabetesjournals.org/care/article/39/11/2065/37218/Physical-Act…. Accessed on June 17, 2026

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