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ATLANTA — A new study has found a direct link between brisk walking and a nearly 40% lower risk of Type 2 diabetes later in life.
The study’s lead author, Dr. Ahmad Jayedi of Iran’s Semnan University of Medical Sciences, explained that previous findings have indicated a lower risk of developing diabetes for individuals who engage frequently in walking.
A new element emphasized in this study is the ideal habitual walking speed required to lower diabetes risk, as well as the absence of comprehensive reviews of the evidence, the authors disclosed.
The latest study reviewed 10 past studies analyzing the correlation between walking speed and Type 2 diabetes development among adults from the United States, the United Kingdom, and Japan.
Results showed that compared to casual walking, a normal pace implied a 15% decreased risk, a fairly brisk pace hinted at a 24% risk reduction, and brisk/striding walking had the most significant benefit by reducing the risk by 39%.
Each 0.6 mile per hour thereby increased the walking speed associated with a 9% lower risk of diabetes development, demonstrating that faster walking might be more advantageous.
Dr. Robert Gabbay, a representative of the American Diabetes Association, stated that the study’s ability to quantify walking speed and integrate it into the analysis is intriguing. This affirms the notion that intensity is vital for diabetes prevention.
Understanding the benefits of brisk walking
The study doesn’t confirm cause-and-effect, but researchers believe more vigorous exercise, such as faster walking speeds, could lead to improved physical fitness and better health status.
Dr. Michio Shimabukuro of the Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine supported this, indicating that increased exercise intensity from faster walking stimulates physiological functions and improves health status.
The study urges randomized controlled trials to confirm the observed results in order to investigate reverse causality.
Lowering your diabetes risk
Dr. Gabbay concluded that walking is crucial for health improvement, with faster walking having even more benefits. The message is clear that walking is important and should be encouraged, especially since most Americans fail to reach sufficient walking levels.
For individuals looking to challenge themselves, using a fitness tracker or the “talk test” by the CDC can help in measuring and maintaining walking pace.
