People with slightly elevated levels of fasting blood sugar are categorized as pre-diabetic. That means they have the early signs of impaired glucose tolerance. They can reverse this trend, however, and lower their risk of heart attacks or strokes by taking 2,000 extra steps each day. For most people this is just a 20 minute walk.
Investigators recruited more than 9,000 volunteers from 40 countries. All participants were given a pedometer. The researchers compared the number of steps taking in a week at the beginning of the study and again one year later. The subjects were monitored for weight, smoking, diet and medications. They were given instructions on lifestyle changes to lose weight and increase physical activity.
For every 2,000 additional steps a participant took in a day, the risk of a heart attack or stroke during the six-year follow-up dropped by 10 percent. The authors conclude in The Lancet that physical activity substantially reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease in these high-risk individuals.
If you know you should take those extra steps, but aren’t sure how to fit them into your busy schedule, try listening to our show with Dr. David Katz: Can You Become Disease Proof? It will air Jan. 4, 2014. Dr. Katz has ideas about how to reinforce our willpower with the skills we need to implement our plans and reach our goals.
