Taking more steps every day can keep diabetes at bay
January 14th, 2011 - 12:12 pm ICT by ANILondon, Jan 14 (ANI): A new study has suggested that simply taking more steps every day not only helps ward off obesity but also reduces the risk of diabetes.
While previous studies have shown that physical activity reduces body mass index and insulin resistance - an early stage in the development of diabetes - this is the first study to estimate the effects of long-term changes in daily step count on insulin sensitivity.
A popular guideline is to do 10,000 steps every day, though a more recent recommendation is 3,000 steps, five days a week.
The study, by the Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Melbourne, involved 592 middle aged adults who took part in a national study to map diabetes levels across Australia between 2000 and 2005.
At the start of the study, participants completed a detailed diet and lifestyle questionnaire and underwent a thorough health examination. They were also given a pedometer and instructed how to use it. Participants were monitored again five years later.
Other lifestyle factors, such as diet, alcohol and smoking were taken into account.
A higher daily step count over five years was associated with a lower body mass index, lower waist to hip ratio, and better insulin sensitivity.
These associations were independent of dietary energy intake and appeared to be largely due to a change in adiposity (fatness) over the five years, say the authors.
The authors estimate that, in their setting, a sedentary person who takes a very low number of daily steps but who was able to change behaviour over five years to meet the popular 10,000 daily step guideline would have a threefold improvement in insulin sensitivity compared with a similar person who increased his or her steps to meet the more recent recommendation of 3,000 steps for five days a week.
They conclude: “These findings, confirming an independent beneficial role of higher daily step count on body mass index, waist to hip ratio, and insulin sensitivity, provide further support to promote higher physical activity levels among middle aged adults.”
The study has been published on bmj.com today. (ANI)
- Vegetarians have lower risk of heart disease, stroke - Apr 14, 2011
- Healthy lifestyle lowers mid-age cardiac risk - Mar 04, 2012
- Body fat distribution linked to a higher risk of ER-negative breast cancer - Dec 16, 2010
- Being apple 'no worse for health' than being a pear - Mar 11, 2011
- 'Apple shaped' obesity, other forms 'equally risky' - Mar 11, 2011
- Here come smart insulin pumps for diabetic kids - Apr 12, 2012
- Potbellied men ' likelier to go blind' - Apr 01, 2011
- Modern women not as shapely as they would like to think - Feb 21, 2011
- Vegans 'at lower risk of heart disease, diabetes and stroke' - Apr 14, 2011
- Large waist size linked to higher diabetes rates among Americans - Oct 08, 2010
- Wider hips protect against diabetes - Jan 24, 2012
- Almonds 'could help prevent diabetes, heart disease' - Dec 30, 2010
- Pot-bellied men run risk of going blind - Apr 03, 2011
- Waist-hip ratio better indicator of obesity than BMI readings for older adults - Sep 02, 2009
- Diabetic? Forget pills, pop almonds - May 03, 2011
Tags: 10 000 steps, beneficial role, body mass index, dietary energy, energy intake, fatness, health examination, insulin resistance, insulin sensitivity, lifestyle factors, lifestyle questionnaire, london jan, murdoch childrens research institute, pedometer, physical activity, sedentary person, step guideline, study participants, term changes, waist to hip ratio