Walking Reduces Risk of CVD, CV Death and Total
Mortality in Diabetic Men & Women
posted 06/12/03
Two studies validate that walking was associated with reduced CVD
risk and total mortality for Men and Women with type 2 diabetes.
The present study was conducted to examine the relationship of physical activity
with risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and mortality among men with type 2
diabetes. CVD risk and mortality are increased in type 2 diabetes. Few
epidemiological studies have investigated the effect of physical activity on
these outcomes among type 2 diabetics.
Of the 3058 men who reported a diagnosis of diabetes at AGE 30 years or older in
the Health Professionals’ Follow-up Study (HPFS), we excluded 255 who reported a
physical impairment. In the remaining 2803 men, physical activity was assessed
every 2 years; 266 new cases of CVD and 355 deaths of all causes were identified
during 14 years of follow-up. Relative risks of CVD and death were estimated
from Cox proportional hazards analysis with adjustment for potential
confounders. The multivariate relative risks of CVD incidence corresponding to
quintiles of total physical activity were 1.0, 0.87, 0.64, 0.72, and 0.67 (P
trend=0.07). The corresponding multivariate relative risks for total mortality
were 1.0, 0.80, 0.57, 0.58, and 0.58 (P trend=0.005). Walking was associated
with reduced risk of total mortality. Relative risks across quintiles of walking
were 1.0, 0.97, 0.87, 0.97, and 0.57 (P trend=0.002). Walking pace was inversely
associated with CVD, fatal CVD, and total mortality independently of walking
hours.
From the results of the study it was concluded that physical activity was
associated with reduced risk of CVD, cardiovascular death, and total mortality
in men with type 2 diabetes. Walking and walking pace were associated with
reduced total mortality. Circulation. 2003;107:2435-2439.
In the second study, they used 5125 female nurses with diabetes In the Nurses'
Health Study.
The objective of the study was to determine whether physical activity decreases
risk for cardiovascular disease among diabetic women.
Physical activity was first assessed in 1980 and was updated in 1982, 1986, 1988, and 1992 through validated questionnaires. Average hours of moderate or vigorous exercise and a metabolic equivalent of task (MET) score were computed.
During 14 years of follow-up (31 432 person-years), 323 new
cases of cardiovascular disease were documented (225 cases of coronary heart
disease and 98 cases of stroke). The age-adjusted relative risks according to
average hours of moderate or vigorous activity per week were 1.0, 0.93, 0.82,
0.54, and 0.52. These figures did not change materially after adjustment for
smoking, body mass index, and other cardiovascular risk factors (1.0, 1.02,
0.87, 0.61, and 0.55, respectively; P = 0.001 for trend).
In separate analyses, levels of physical activity were inversely associated with
coronary heart disease and ischemic stroke. Among women who did not exercise
vigorously, the multivariate relative risks for cardiovascular disease across
quartiles of MET score for walking were 1.0, 0.85, 0.63, and 0.56 (P = 0.03 for
trend). Faster usual walking pace was independently associated with lower risk.
From the results it was concluded that among diabetic women, increased physical activity, including regular walking, is associated with substantially reduced risk for cardiovascular events.
Source: Diabetes In Control Dot Com: Ann Intern Med. 2001;134:96-105.
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