Increasing number of steps per day lowers diabetes risk in women: Study

USA: A recent study in the Endocrine Society's Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism has revealed that greater time in any physical activity intensity is linked with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) regardless of sex, age, BMI or sedentary time.

According to the analysis of the National Institutes of Health's All of Us Research Program data, wearable fitness devices offer new insights into the relationship between physical activity and type 2 diabetes. 

Type 2 diabetes is the most common disease, affecting 90% to 95% of people with diabetes. In type 2 diabetes, the body is resistant to the action of insulin, meaning it cannot use insulin properly, so it cannot carry sugar into the cells. Type 2 diabetes most often develops in people over age 45, but more and more children, teens and young adults are being diagnosed.

"We investigated the relationship between physical activity and type 2 diabetes with an innovative approach using data from wearable devices linked to electronic health records in a real-world population," said Andrew S. Perry, M.D., of Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tenn. "We found that people who spent more time in any physical activity had a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Our data shows the importance of moving your body every day to lower your risk of diabetes."