Walking as little as 30
minutes a day may help the body improve the use of its own insulin and ward off diabetes,
according to a study published Tuesday.
``Our studies showed that, no matter what the activity
is, increased activity is related to improved insulin sensitivity,'' said Elizabeth
Mayer-Davis of the of the University of South Carolina, lead author of the study.
``This is good news. It means that if nothing else,
walking can improve your health. You don't have to go to a gym unless you want to,'' she
added.
Insulin sensitivity involves the body's ability to store
food for energy. When the body can not use its own insulin effectively, insulin resistance
-- and possibly diabetes -- develops.
The findings, published in this week's Journal of the
American Medical Association, were based on research done on 1,400 women from the ages of
40 to 69, some of whom had normal blood sugar levels and others of whom had a mild form of
diabetes.
``Earlier research showed that vigorous physical
activity, such as running, could improve insulin sensitivity,'' said Mayer-Davis. ``But we
were not sure what impact, if any, moderate physical activity would have in improving the
body's use of insulin.''
Moderate physical activity includes walking briskly,
climbing stairs, gardening and doing many household chores.
The study found that even moderate physical activity led
to better insulin sensitivity. Mayer-Davis said the finding is important because people
with diabetes are two to four times more likely to develop heart disease, and 75 percent
of diabetics die of heart disease.
``Adults need to participate in at least 30 minutes of
moderate physical activity on most days of the week,'' she said. ''These are guidelines
that already have been established by the (U.S.) Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention and the American College of Sports Medicine ... any kind of physical activity
is a good thing.'' |
