A new study shows that men with type 2 diabetes could save their lives by brisk walking, for activity reduces the risk of heart attack or stroke.
Previous research has demonstrated the benefits of exercise for health. Now a new report from the long-running Health Professionals Follow-up Study examines how physical activity affects men with type 2 diabetes.

Researchers at Harvard School for Public Health examined the impact of exercise on a group of men within the Study who had developed type 2 diabetes, a condition associated with heart disease and stroke complications. They asked about their weekly exercise - noting activity such as lap swimming, running, walking and tennis. Walking was assessed as being casual, normal or striding - the latter being at a speed of four miles an hour or more.

Those taking the most total exercise had a significantly reduced risk of heart disease and stroke, as well as total mortality, compared to the least active. When it came to walking speed, striding was clearly more beneficial to health than strolling. While people with type 2 diabetes should not alter their exercise program drastically without medical advice, this study suggests that putting a little more effort into your daily walk may be an excellent health investment.