45 minutes walk a day can help control diabetes

Newspapers reported a small study of 20 volunteers ( 10 with and 10 without type 2 diabetes)that found walking improved the bodies' ability to store sugar and burn fat, helping to control diabetes.

Each volunteer was given a pedometer and asked to walk an extra 45 minutes each day. After increasing physical activity for 8 weeks, the number of steps had increased to 12,322 a day in the diabetic group, and to 9,187 steps a day in the control group. Researchers found there were no changes in the enzyme ATP use, but lipid metabolism rates increased more in the people with diabetes than in the control group. They concluded that physical activity such as walking can improve cellular metabolism of the diabetes. Further studies would be needed.

Source : "Increased daily walking improves lipid oxidation without changes in mitochondrial function in Type 2 diabetes." Diabetes Care 2008; May 16 [Epub ahead of print]

Moderate drinking and exercise lower heart disease risk

Multiple news sources reported a study that found those who drank moderate amounts of alcohol and exercised regularly had reduced risk of ischaemic heart disease (IHD).

In this prospective cohort study of 12,000 Danish people who had no pre-existing IHD, the researchers investigated the combined effects of exercise and weekly alcohol consumption on death from heart disease and deaths from any cause, followed up for 20 years.

The authors said this is one of the first to have looked at the combined effects of both alcohol and exercise on the heart. Conclusion: "Leisure-time physical activity and a moderate weekly alcohol intake are both important to lower the risk of fatal IHD and all-cause mortality."

Source: "The combined influence of leisure-time physical activity and weekly alcohol intake on fatal ischaemic heart disease and all-cause mortality" European Heart Journal 2008 29(2):204-212