Diabetes and Physical Activity- It's Never Too Late to Get the Benefits

Two recent European studies yielded some striking results related to the benefits of exercise to people with diabetes.A study of the physical activity patterns over a five year period of more than 15,000 individuals pulled from the Swedish national Diabetes Register found that those who were categorized in a “regular exercise” group (more than three times per week) were significantly less likely to have a cardiovascular event or to die either from cardiovascular disease or any other cause. More significant still, individuals who were initially grouped in a “low physical activity” (exercise once or less often each week) but moved to the “regular exercise” group during the course of the study showed a 67% reduction is cardiovascular events, CV related death, or death from any cause in comparison to subjects who remained inactive.A group from the German Institute of Human Nutrition determined, through both a prospective study and analysis of 12 other studies, found that higher levels of “total physical activity”, “leisure time physical activity” and “walking” significantly reduced the risk of death in people with diabetes. Leisure time physical activity included gardening, cycling and household work, for instance.Both studies pointed out that people with diabetes are less likely to be physically active than the general population, but the Swedish study emphasized that “it’s never too late” to gain benefit from becoming more active.Two recent European studies yielded some striking results related to the benefits of exercise to people with diabetes.A study of the physical activity patterns over a five year period of more than 15,000 individuals pulled from the Swedish national Diabetes Register found that those who were categorized in a “regular exercise” group (more than three times per week) were significantly less likely to have a cardiovascular event or to die either from cardiovascular disease or any other cause. More significant still, individuals who were initially grouped in a “low physical activity” (exercise once or less often each week) but moved to the “regular exercise” group during the course of the study showed a 67% reduction is cardiovascular events, CV related death, or death from any cause in comparison to subjects who remained inactive.A group from the German Institute of Human Nutrition determined, through both a prospective study and analysis of 12 other studies, found that higher levels of “total physical activity”, “leisure time physical activity” and “walking” significantly reduced the risk of death in people with diabetes. Leisure time physical activity included gardening, cycling and household work, for instance.Both studies pointed out that people with diabetes are less likely to be physically active than the general population, but the Swedish study emphasized that “it’s never too late” to gain benefit from becoming more active.