Walking half-an-hour a day keeps diabetes away
Posted by megri @ Thursday, September 2, 2004
London, Sept 01: A new study conducted by researchers at
Helsinki University suggests that walking for half-an-hour a day
can almost eradicate the risk of developing diabetes.
Dr Jakko Tuomilehto's 10-year study showed that four hours'
exercise a week achieved an 80 per cent reduction in the risk of
developing diabetes. Those who ate a healthier diet and lost
weight did not develop diabetes over the 10 years.
"It is important to remember that small things matter. If you eat
a 50 calorie biscuit a day you will gain 5.5lbs in a year. But if
you walk for a kilometre a day you will lose 5.5lbs a year. It
takes 20 seconds to eat a biscuit and 20 minutes to walk it off.
Half an hour's walking a day, in little bursts, 10 minutes at a
time, is most effective for health," The Telegraph quoted
Tuomilehto as saying.
He said that diabetes was now common with a high lifetime risk.
"By the time people have reached the age of 80, 40 per cent have
developed Type II diabetes," he said.
He added that another 40 per cent have blood sugar abnormalities,
known as glucose intolerance, which can lead on to diabetes. Type
II diabetes can damage body organs, and is often "silent", not
diagnosed.
"Probably the majority of people carry genes that allow them to
develop diabetes. It is major problem. But our study has shown
that we can prevent diabetes and that means we can prevent heart
disease by lifestyle measures alone," he added.
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