Diabetes Risk: If you think as soon as you wake up in the morning, how will you find time for exercise today, then there is good news for you. It is not necessary to sweat for hours in the gym to stay fit. If you do a brisk walk for about 30 minutes every day, your health will improve. Especially for those suffering from blood sugar and type-2 diabetes. I don’t think so… recent scientific evidence says so.
A systematic review and meta-analysis published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine analyzed data from 10 cohort studies. It was found that those who walked at a fast pace had less risk of developing type-2 diabetes than those who walked at a normal or slow pace. The risk was found to be about 39 percent less in those who did the fastest i.e. brisk/striding walk. However, research does not prove that brisk walking alone can control diabetes. Now the question is, what is a brisk walk? Let us know about this-
What exactly is a brisk walk?
First of all, let us clear one thing that brisk walk does not mean just strolling. In this, you have to walk a little faster than the normal pace, so that breathing and heart beat become a little faster, but you can carry on a conversation. That means it is neither a leisurely walking gait nor as fast as running. Research has linked walking speed to the risk of diabetes. Research by a large UK Biobank also found that fast walkers had a lower risk of type 2 diabetes compared to those who walked at a slow or normal pace.
What happens to the body when we walk fast?
When you walk fast, the muscles of the body become more active and the need to use glucose increases. Regular physical activity can help improve insulin sensitivity and glucose control. For this reason, regular walking is considered beneficial for metabolic health compared to a lifestyle of sitting for long periods of time. Recent research has also found a deep connection between 24-hour movement patterns and glucose metabolism.
Is walking 30 minutes a day enough?
A brisk walk of 30 minutes can be a great option for health, especially for those who do not exercise at all. Starting with 10-15 minutes, time and speed can be gradually increased. However, walking alone cannot be considered a guarantee of prevention from diabetes. For this, weight, eating habits, sleep, age, family history and other health conditions also affect the risk of type-2 diabetes.
Make walking a daily habit
Taking the stairs instead of the lift, avoiding the vehicle for short distances and taking a short walk after meals are easy ways to increase daily activity. People who already have diabetes, heart disease or any other problem should decide the intensity of their exercise as per the doctor’s advice.