Obesity Raises Diabetes Risk More Than Inactivity, Study Finds
While obesity and lack of physical activity are both contributors to elevated risk of developing type 2 diabetes in women, researchers report in the journal Diabetes Care that the more important factor seems to be obesity.
Dr. Frank Hu of the Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, and colleagues note that the link between obesity and inactivity to the elevated risk of developing type 2 diabetes remains a topic still up for debate.
To investigate further, a large ongoing study which evaluates women’s health over time known as Nurses’ Health Study took place involving 68,907 women with no history of diabetes, cardiovascular disease or cancer when the study began. In the 16 year follow-up period, 4,030 incident cases of type 2 diabetes occurred.
Even with things such as age, smoking, and other diabetes-associated factors being accounted for, the risk of type 2 diabetes increased progressively with increasing body mass index. Increased risk also occurred with waist circumference, and decreased with physical activity levels.
The reference group, which consisted of women who had a healthy weight (BMI of less than 25) and were physically active were compared to the relative risks of type 2 diabetes being 16.75 in inactive women with a BMI of 30 or more. In obese women who were active, the corresponding risk was 10.74. In women who were lean but inactive, the relative risk was 2.08.
While both variables were key contributors of type 2 diabetes, the association for waist circumference was substantially stronger than that for physical inactivity according to the researchers.
They researchers conclude that “the magnitude of risk contributed by obesity is much greater than that imparted by lack of physical activity,” and therefore “weight loss and maintenance of healthy weight should be emphasized as an eventual goal to prevent the onset of type 2 diabetes.”
What does this all mean? Well, essentially it means that while both obesity and lack of activity elevate risk of developing type 2 diabetes, obesity raises more risk.
I say kill two birds with one stone by using exercise to reduce obesity. Upon approval from a naturopathic doctor, begin participating in a regular cardiovascular exercise program, which will reduce your odds of developing type 2 diabetes by helping you stay active and losing weight in the process. Just 30 minutes per day can yield substancial health benefits.
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- Consumption of Processed Meats INCREASES The Risk of Developing Stomach Cancer…
 
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Posted: February 25th, 2007 under Diabetes.
