Silent killer risk could be reduced by 37% with 25-minute-a-day habit

12 August 2023 , 06:16

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Being active reduces the chances of being diagnosed with the disease by 37 per cent compared with those who do no exercise (Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Taking up this 25-minute habit every single day could significantly reduce the risk of a silent killer disease. Less than half an hour of exercise each day could slash the chances of developing diabetes.

Being active reduces the chances of being diagnosed with the disease by 37 per cent compared with those who do no exercise, a study shows. The lower risk was also found in people who were more genetically likely to develop diabetes, researchers said.

As many as 4.3 million Brits have type 2 diabetes, while a further 2.4 million are thought to be at risk. The condition can cause blood sugar levels to become too high when the body produces too little insulin.

It can lead to more severe side effects like problems with your eyes and feet, as well as the risk of heart disease and a stroke. Exercise is vital for patients to keep glucose levels under control.

A recent study published by the British Journal of Sports Medicine, looked at 59,000 British adults to see how exercise impacted their chances of the disease seven years after being fitted with activity monitors on their wrist.

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Those who did some form of vigorous physical activity like running, aerobic dancing, cycling uphill or at a fast pace and heavy gardening such as digging, had lower risks. Doing them for more than an hour a day reduced the risk by nearly three quarters compared to people who did less than five minutes a day.

The lower risk happened regardless of how genetically likely they were to get the disease. There are a range of symptoms for type 2 diabetes including losing weight without trying to, blurred vision and feeling tired.

The full list, according to the NHS, states:

• peeing more than usual, particularly at night
• feeling thirsty all the time
• feeling very tired
• losing weight without trying to
• itching around your penis or vagina, or repeatedly getting thrush
• cuts or wounds taking longer to heal
• blurred vision.

You're more at risk of developing type 2 diabetes if you:

• are over 40 (or 25 for south Asian people)
• have a close relative with diabetes (such as a parent, brother or sister)
• are overweight or obese
• are of Asian, African-Caribbean or black African origin (even if you were born in the UK).

Hannah Kane