DOC News March 1, 2006
Volume 3 Number 3 p. 18
© 2006 American Diabetes Association
Physical Activity Extends Life Expectancy
Maintaining a moderate or high level of physical activity can add years to
your life, even if you have type 2 diabetes, according to a study published in
the January 2006 issue of Diabetes
Care.
Using an analysis of data from the Framingham Heart Study, with a sample of
5,209 respondents aged 28–62 years between 1948 and 1951, investigators
constructed life tables to estimate life expectancy at age 50. Three
transitions were tabulated: nondiabetic to diabetes, diabetes to death, and
nondiabetic to death.
Compared with sedentary people, those who engage in moderate physical
activity gain 2.3 years of life, and those who engage in high levels of
physical activity add >4 years of life. They don't just add years with type
2 diabetes; moderately and highly active people live more years without the
disease.
"Our study suggests that if sedentary people would be stimulated to
be at least moderately active, they could extend their lifetime spent without
diabetes without spending more years with diabetes," the researchers
conclude.
Jonker JT, De Laet C, Franco OH, et al.: Physical activity
and life expectancy with and without diabetes: Life table analysis of the
Framingham Heart Study. Diabetes Care 29: 38–43, 2006.[Abstract/Free Full Text]
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