SEMNAN, Iran — Walking at a brisk pace could significantly decrease the risk of Type 2 diabetes, new research explains. The study points out that increasing walking speed by just one kilometer per hour (0.62 mph) can correlate with a nine-percent drop in the risk of developing the most common form of diabetes.
The research suggests that walking at a moderate pace of 3-5 km/h (1.86-3.1 mph) results in a 15-percent lower risk of Type 2 diabetes compared to a leisurely pace of less than 3 km/h (1.86 mph), regardless of the total walking duration.
Moreover, a fairly brisk pace of 5-6 km/h (3.1-3.7 mph) is linked with a 24-percent reduced risk, while walking at speeds over 6 km/h (3.7 mph) is associated with an approximate 39-percent lower risk of the disease.
“The staggering global number of adults with Type 2 diabetes, currently at 537 million and projected to rise to 783 million by 2045, underscores the need for simple, cost-effective preventative measures. Walking briskly, which also confers various social, mental, and physical health benefits, could be an accessible intervention to combat this trend,” says the study’s lead author, Dr. Ahmad Jayedi from Semnan University of Medical Sciences, in a media release.