Active lifestyle and diabetes.

Abstract

The evidence demonstrating that physical inactivity plays a role in the development of several chronic diseases continues to grow. Since the 1950s, numerous scientific reports have examined the relationships between physical activity, physical fitness, and health outcomes. Expert panels convened by organizations such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the American College of Sports Medicine, and the American Heart Association,1–3 along with the US Surgeon General’s report on physical activity and health,4 have reinforced the association between regular physical activity and health. These reports support the concept that more active or fit individuals tend to experience less coronary heart disease (CHD) and have lower mortality rates than their sedentary counterparts, and when they do acquire CHD, it occurs at a later age and tends to be less severe. The increasing incidence of type 2 diabetes over the last decade, along with the established link between diabetes and cardiovascular disease, has generated interest in the effects of physical activity on insulin sensitivity, glycemic control, and the incidence of diabetes. In this issue of Circulation , Tanasescu et al5 add to the evidence that physical activity reduces cardiovascular mortality in those with existing diabetes. Despite the scientific evidence and the organizational efforts, these messages have not reached the public, because physical activity is vastly underutilized in the management of diabetes, and the majority of individuals remain sedentary or do too little exercise to achieve health benefits.2,3 See p 2435 The study by Tanasescu et al5 examined the relationship between physical activity, risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), and mortality in a large cohort of men with type 2 diabetes. The strengths of the study include its prospective design, size, and consideration of lifestyle changes by repeat measurements every 2 years. They studied 2803 men free from …