Low Aerobic Fitness Now, Diabetes Later
June 19, 2009 by Peggy Rowland
Filed under Women's Health
Think disease or middle age is a long, long time away and what you do now doesn’t matter? No so!
Young women and young African Americans are less aerobically fit than men and white adults in the same age group, researchers noted. And that places this group at greater risk for diabetes.
“These young adults are setting the stage for chronic disease in middle age by not being physically active and fit,” said Mercedes Carnethon, lead study author and assistant professor of preventive medicine at Northwestern’s Feinberg School.
Key finding:
Young adults (18-30) with low aerobic fitness levels are two to three times more likely to develop diabetes in 20 years than those who are fit. (Fitness was determined by treadmill tests.) The most important predictor: Body Mass Index (BMI), a measurement of body fat content. Having a higher BMI puts you at greater risk for diabetes.
Funding for the study was provided by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. Findings will be published in the July issue of Diabetes Care. Data used in current study came from the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults study, (January 1984 – December 2001).
Is avoiding diabetes one of your exercise goals?
(Image via flickr/mikebaird)
