Exercise Improves Diabetes

Health professionals agree that a brisk walk every day is a good idea for everybody. According to the findings of a recent study, walking (and comparable forms of exercise) can be particularly beneficial for men with type 2 diabetes. Heart disease is to blame for about three quarters of deaths among people with diabetes. The study found that diabetic men who spent 3 to 5 hours a week walking at a brisk pace were least likely to develop heart disease or to die from a heart attack or stroke.

Reported in May 2003 in the online edition of Circulation, the study followed more than 51,000 men for 14 years. The results were not a surprise. According to the writer of an editorial accompanying the article, exercise is known to increase insulin sensitivity, improve glucose tolerance, promote weight loss, and reduce triglyceride levels?all of which is particularly good for those with diabetes.