In addition to providing direct physical benefits to diabetic patients, aerobic exercise may also provide psychological benefits, including the reduction of stress. Stress reduction in diabetic patients may directly improve their quality of life as well as indirectly alter the course of their disease. This paper reviews a representative sample of studies that examined the effects of aerobic exercise on physiological and subjective responses to stress, and presents relevant clinical issues, including the minimization of potential risks, an exercise prescription, and suggestionsfor enhancing exercise adherence.
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