Diabetics should not just think about the gym when it comes to protecting their hearts, according to a study from Finland. It found that physical activity on the job had as big an effect as leisure-time workouts in reducing death from heart disease among patients with Type 2 diabetes.
Researchers at the National Public Health Institute in Helsinki, Finland, collected data on 3316 Finnish study subjects between the ages of 25 and 74 with type 2 diabetes, over a period of 18 years.
The researchers found those who were employed in jobs that required lifting light objects and other moderate activity such as walking were 9 percent less likely to die of cardiovascular disease when compared to subjects who worked a desk job.
More active work, such as heavier lifting, was associated with a 40 percent reduction.
“Moderate or high levels of physical activity reduce total and CVD mortality among patients with type 2 diabetes. Not only leisure-time physical activity but also occupational and commuting physical activities are important components of a healthy lifestyle among patients with diabetes,” said lead researcher Dr. Jaakko Tuomilehtoa, in the July 27 issue of the journal Circulation.