Study Shows More Exercise, Less Sitting Goes a Long Way For Diabetics

“There is one message that really needs to be made stronger in public health,” said Steve McKenzie an administrator of the A. H. Ismail Center for Health, Exercise and Nutrition at Purdue University. “That is physical activity, regardless of your size, is going to make you a healthier person.”

A large U.S. government study from 2002 found that even moderate exercise and a healthy diet that resulted in a 5 to 7 percent weight loss could delay and even prevent type 2 diabetes.

The goal should be “not so much increasing the exercise but decreasing the sedentary behaviors,” said Norma Olvera, an associate professor of health and human performance at the University of Houston.

The current recommendation is that any activity only needs to be done for 10 minutes at a time, adding up to at least 30 minutes a day, to help regulate glucose levels and lower “bad” cholesterol.