Private MD News

Taking more steps each day is shown to reduce diabetes risk

Category: Diabetes

Individuals who have received a positive HbA1c test for diabetes may be able to improve their condition by making simple lifestyle changes. It is already well established that improving diet is linked to better blood sugar control. Now, a new study has confirmed that simply taking more steps each day can improve many of the risk factors for diabetes.

For the study, researchers from Murdoch Children’s Hospital in Melbourne, Australia gave pedometers to a group of just under 700 adults, then tracked the number of daily steps they took each day for a period of five years. At the beginning and end of the study, researchers also measure participants’ body mass index, hip-to-waist ratio and insulin sensitivity.

By the end of the study period, the researchers discovered that the individuals who took the most steps on a daily basis had much healthier measures of metabolic risk factors. Additionally, they were less likely to have developed diabetes during the study period.

The researchers said that it has been well established that frequent physical activity is associated with a lower diabetes risk. However, this is the first study to show that even simple exercise like walking can help individuals avoid the metabolic condition.