"Walk quickly" to prevent diabetes! Study: Walking "at this speed" can reduce the risk of disease by 24%
Can brisk walking prevent diabetes? Study says risk drops most at ’this speed'
Diabetes is one of the most important metabolic diseases in contemporary society. It is estimated that 780 million people worldwide will develop diabetes in 2045. Diabetes and hyperglycemia not only increase the risk of death, but also increase the risk of large and small vessel disease, and are complicated by heart disease, stroke, nephropathy, eye disease, peripheral neuropathy, and peripheral artery disease leading to amputation.
The occurrence of diabetes is believed to be related to the environment, genetics and lifestyle. Regular exercise can help improve blood sugar control and reduce cardiovascular disease. Many people will “brisk walking” as exercise, but whether the walking speed of brisk walking is significant in preventing diabetes? The impact has not yet been unanimously determined.
In a study published by the authoritative international medical journal “BMJ”, a team from Iran’s Semnan University of Medical Sciences used big data to collect research data over the past 23 years and recalculated the difference between different walking speeds and the occurrence of diabetes. Risk difference (RD) and relative risk (RR), the results show that the walking style is closer to race walking, and compared with the walking speed of “leisurely strolling”, the relative risk of diabetes is reduced by 24%. The study concluded that although observational study data cannot determine cause and effect, from the integrated analysis data, walking speed reaching a certain level can significantly reduce the risk of diabetes.
Walking speed of four kilometers per hour significantly reduces the risk of diabetes
The research team identified 18,410 eligible adults from 10 prospective generational studies covering 500,000 survey data, and answered their daily walking speed using pedometers or assessment questionnaires. After recalibrating risk factors such as blood pressure, total exercise volume, BMI index, walking time, daily steps, drinking habits, and family history of diabetes, the research team divided the data into four groups: easy walking (less than 3.2 kilometers/hour), Normal walking (3.2-4.8 km/h), light brisk walking (4.8-6.4 km/h), racing brisk walking (more than 6.4 km/h).
The analysis results show that the risk of diabetes in the normal walking speed group is 15% lower than that in the easy walking group; the risk of diabetes in the light brisk walking group is 24% lower than that in the easy walking group. Those who take fast walking at a racing speed have an even lower risk. to 39%. The research team believes that the level of evidence (GRADE) of this analysis is moderate to low, but after adjusting for daily walking time and total physical activity, there was no significant difference between the groups. The results of dose-response meta-analysis showed that the risk of diabetes was significantly reduced when the walking speed was above 4 km/h.
However, the data collected in this study may have serious systematic biases, including the diagnostic criteria for diabetes and the fact that people who walk faster may have better cardiorespiratory fitness, more muscle mass and better health. However, in the subcategory of generational studies for more than ten years, the negative correlation between individual physical activity and the absence of diabetes has always remained stable, confirming that physical activity is indeed a risk factor for diabetes.
Sitting for a long time is an important factor in diabetes. Exercise prescriptions should be planned in conjunction with physical fitness.
Lack of physical activity is one of the reasons for poor blood sugar control and the rise of metabolic diseases in modern people. In particular, a “sedentary” lifestyle will significantly increase the risk of diabetes. According to current clinical evidence, exercise can help improve blood sugar control, especially postprandial blood sugar.
Within the allowable range of physical condition and fitness burden, adult patients with diabetes are recommended to perform 150 minutes of moderate or vigorous aerobic exercise every week, spread out over 3 days within 1 week, and it is recommended not to be inactive for more than 2 consecutive days. Young people or those with better physical fitness can switch to high-intensity strenuous exercise or intermittent exercise. It is recommended that 75 minutes of exercise per week be achieved.
Research shows that people with diabetes who combine resistance training with aerobic training can reduce the risk of poor blood sugar control and complications. However, according to the concept of “exercise prescription”, adults or patients with diabetes are recommended to adjust the frequency, intensity, type and duration of exercise according to the purpose, and plan a personalized exercise plan based on professional fitness recommendations, taking into account age and Physical condition, discuss with your doctor the appropriate exercise method for the individual.
Data source:
Diabetes Society of the Taiwan: “2022 Clinical Care Guidelines for Type 2 Diabetes”
Walking speed and the risk of type 2 diabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysis
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