Every article we read encourages physical activity, be it something to do with a disease like Parkinson’s or a simple active way of life. According to a team from the National Institutes of Health, (NIH) overweight individuals suffering from type 2 diabetes apparently experienced lower risk for loss of mobility by achieving weight loss and physical fitness.
Almost 5,145 type 2 diabetes patients participated in the trial and were exposed to either lifestyle interventions or normal education groups. After a span of 4 years, persons who experienced lifestyle modifications apparently faced 48% decrease in their mobility-related disability, as compared to the those in the other set.
“Being able to perform routine activities is an important contributor to quality of life. These findings add support to making lifestyle changes that improve health and reduce disability in people with type 2 diabetes, changes that already have been shown to prevent the disease and provide a good return on investment,” commented Griffin P. Rodgers, M.D., director of the NIH’s National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), which led the study.
Precisely, weight loss came forward as an important predictor of improved mobility and was slightly more influential than physical fitness. This analysis is part of the Look AHEAD (Action for Health in Diabetes) study organized by NIH.
The results are published in the March 29 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.