Inactivity amongst older people leads to diabetes

Washington: Inactivity for two straight weeks amongst older overweight people increases the risk of Type 2 diabetes. Not only did an abrupt, brief period of inactivity hasten the onset of the disease and elevate blood sugar levels among pre- diabetic patients, but researchers reported that some study participants did not fully recover when they returned to normal activity for two weeks. “We expected to find that the study participants would become diabetic, but we were surprised to see that they didn't revert back to their healthier state when they returned to normal activity,” said a lead researcher Chris McGlory. People who participated in the research were asked to reduce their daily steps to no more than 1000 times per day, which is the equivalent of being housebound. Their steps and activity which were measured using pedometers and specialized activity monitors, while researchers tested their blood sugar levels and took blood samples during the two- week period. The results implied that seniors who experience periods of physical inactivity from illness, hospitalisation and bed rest, for example, are more likely to suffer harmful consequences to their overall health. “Treatment of type 2 diabetes is often complicated. If people are going to be off their feet for an extended period they need to work actively to recover their ability to handle sugar,” said a researcher Stuart Phillips. — ANi