Should you exercise if you have diabetes? The answer is a resounding, "Yes."

A recent study found that people with type 2 diabetes who walked three miles a day -- or performed an equivalent amount of physical activity -- lost weight and lowered their heart rate, blood pressure, cholesterol and triglyceride levels, and HbA1c.

And now there's more proof that regular exercise really does work for people with diabetes: A recent meta analysis (analysis combining the results of multiple studies) showed that individuals with type 2 diabetes who increased their physical activity levels experienced improved blood glucose levels. The data were reported in the journal Diabetologia (Volume 50, page 913).

Interestingly, individuals with diabetes who focused only on boosting exercise achieved better results than those who tried to change their diet, exercise, and medication adherence at the same time.

The evaluation of 103 studies, encompassing 10,455 participants with diabetes, compared exercise-only interventions with lifestyle measures that also targeted multiple health behaviors. This was the first meta analysis to explore the effect of various methods of inspiring people to exercise, from sessions with a personal trainer to watching others exercise as a motivation method.

The researchers found that HbA1c levels dropped by 0.45% in those who exercised more compared with inactive participants. The type of approach used to get participants moving did not affect glucose readings. Blood glucose improved twice as much among individuals who focused on exercise only, compared with those who tried to improve other lifestyle factors as well.

Perhaps it may be more effective for people with type 2 diabetes to try to change one behavior at a time and avoid becoming overwhelmed by making multiple modifications all at once.