Need another reason to work out? EVEN MODEST LEVELS OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY LOWER THE RISK OF DIABETES

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22723343

Diabetes Care. 2012 Jun 20. [Epub ahead of print]

Modest Levels of Physical Activity Are Associated With a Lower Incidence of Diabetes in a Population With a High Rate of Obesity: The Strong Heart Family Study.

Fretts AM, Howard BV, McKnight B, Duncan GE, Beresford SA, Calhoun D, Kriska AM, Storti KL, Siscovick DS.

Source

Department of Epidemiology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE

To examine the association of objectively measured participation in low levels of physical activity with incident type 2diabetes.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

The study population included participants free of diabetes and cardiovascular disease at baseline (n = 1,826) who participated in a follow-up examination. Generalized estimating equations were used to examine the association of steps per day with incident diabetes.

RESULTS

During 5 years of follow-up, 243 incident cases of diabetes were identified. When compared with participants in the lowest quartile of steps per day (<3,500 steps), participants in the upper three quartiles of steps per day had lower odds for diabetes, consistent with a threshold effect. Contrasting the three upper quartiles with the lowest quartile, the odds ratio of diabetes was 0.71 (95% CI 0.51-0.98).

CONCLUSIONS

Modest levels of physical activity are associated with a lower risk of incident diabetes, compared with lower levels of activity.