The study found that engaging in some of your favorite hobbies, such as gardening, dancing, and taking regular walks, can reduce your risk of developing diabetes.

Australian Researchers Find Link Between Activity and Reduced Risk

Australian researchers found that activity for less than half an hour (25 minutes a day) reduced the risk of developing a “fatal” disease by 37% compared to those who did not exercise. The researchers explained that a lower risk was also found in people who are genetically more likely to develop diabetes.

Activities That Make You Sweat Are Best

Dr. Melody Dean of the University of Sydney believes that activities that make you sweat, such as going to the gym, running, dancing and hiking, are the best. She added: “Biking to work, walking to the bus stop and gardening can also be health-promoting factors. Since there is no minimum benefit, it is important to remember that doing something is better than doing nothing.”

An Active Lifestyle Can Combat Risks

Dr. Dean continued: “We cannot control genetic risk and family history. But it provides promising and positive news that many of the risks of developing type 2 diabetes can be combated through an active lifestyle.”

The Dangers of Diabetes

Diabetes causes blood sugar levels to be too high because the body produces too little of a hormone called insulin. The condition can cause complications, including eye and leg problems, as well as an increased risk of heart disease and stroke.

Previous Research on Exercise and Diabetes

Previous research has shown that exercise is vital for patients who already have diabetes to keep their blood sugar under control. A recent study published in the British Journal looked at of Sports medicine, in how different levels of exercise affect people’s disease risk. They tracked more than 59,000 British adults from the British Biobank, a database containing detailed information about the genetics and health of nearly half a million people.

Vigorous Physical Activity Lowers Risk

Participants wore activity monitors on their wrists to see how it affected their risk of developing the disease seven years later. And those who did some type of vigorous physical activity like running, aerobic dancing, fast cycling and gardening like digging had the lowest risk. Doing these activities for more than an hour a day reduces risk by about three-quarters compared to people who spend less than five minutes a day. The lower risk occurred regardless of how genetically likely the disease was.

Source

Source: Sun