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Older patients undergoing diabetes testing should increase activity, new st

Category: Diabetes

At-risk seniors who are going through diabetes testing might be interested in new research that shows how older adults can considerably improve their heart health with a moderate increase in physical activity.

According to Dr Kenneth Madden, a geriatric specialist at the University of British Columbia, adults between the ages of 65 and 83 with type 2 diabetes can significantly reduce the risk of stroke and heart disease after just 3 months aerobic exercise.

Madden found that older adults who increased their physical activity experienced a remarkable lowering of arterial stiffness, thereby lessening the risk of cardiovascular disease.

"The theory is that aerobic activity makes your arteries less stiff and makes artery walls more elastic," said Madden. "There was an impressive drop in arterial stiffness [of patients] after just three months of exercise. In that time we saw a 15 to 20 percent reduction," he added.

Beth Abramson, spokeswoman for the Heart and Stroke Foundation, recommends that older adults - with the consent of a physician - experience 30 to 60 minutes of moderate activity every day.