Fortune Well June 24, 2023
Lifestyle
Type 2 diabetes may run in your family, but that doesn’t mean you’re doomed to live with the disease.
Middle-aged U.K. residents who exercised moderately or vigorously for an hour or more a day were 74% less likely to develop the potentially debilitating condition than those who were sedentary, according to a study published Monday in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.
The same held true even among those who were genetically predisposed to the disease, which tends to run in families.
What’s more, those who were at high genetic risk of developing the metabolic disorder—but who exercised often, and at high intensity—developed the condition less frequently than those who were at low genetic risk but generally inactive.
“We are unable to control our genetic risk and family history, but this finding provides promising and positive news that through an active lifestyle, one can ‘fight off’ much of the excessive risk for Type 2 diabetes,” Melody Ding, an associate professor at the University of Sydney School of Public Health in Australia, said in a news release about the study.
The condition runs in Ding’s family, and her father, in his sixties, was recently diagnosed with it—making her work on the study even more meaningful.
“As an already active person, I now have extra motivation to keep this active lifestyle,” she said.
Experts tend to recommend at least 30 minutes a day of physical activity, five days a week, to ward off Type 2 diabetes—a major cause of blindness, kidney failure, heart attacks, stroke, and lower limb amputation.
Researchers found, however, that 68.4 minutes or more a day was the magic number for most study participants. The intensity of the exercise was also key, they found. How can you tell if your exercise is vigorous enough to be protective?
According to Ding, the right kind of exercise will…
Added Mengyun Luo, a doctoral degree candidate at the University of Sydney and lead author on the study: “If you have a family history of Type 2 diabetes—or even if you don’t—today is the day to start being physically active.”
Stay up to date on the latest real estate trends.
Seller
June 30, 2025
Here’s something you need to know.
Buyer
June 29, 2025
We’ve officially reached the dog days of summer, and it’s not just you panting for relief.
Buyer
June 29, 2025
When choosing a fresh coat of paint for your space, picking the perfect color can feel like the most daunting task.
Buyer
June 29, 2025
If you're tired of seeing plain white walls and neutral interiors, then you'll be pleased to know that deeper jewel tones are trending again.
Lifestyle
June 28, 2025
Peppers add color, crunch, and a kick of flavor to everything from fajitas to fresh salads, but these heat‑lovers thrive when surrounded by the right garden friends.
Lifestyle
June 28, 2025
While each family parents their children differently, the one strategy seemingly every parent executes on is baby-proofing their space when their little ones start cra… Read more
We Guide Homeowners through the complicated process of selling their home using our 4 Phase Selling Process and 3 Prong Marketing Strategy that alleviates their stress and moves them effortlessly to their next destination. Schedule a 15 Minute Complimentary Strategy Session Today