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So this one isn't really a shocker. A new study finds that former elite male athletes
have a lower risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes later in life. But exactly how much lower?
That may surprise you.
According to the study by Finland's Helsinki University, former elite male endurance athletes
are a whopping 61 percent less likely to develop the disease than the general population.
The research team used surveys of more than 1,500 athletes and 1,000 controls sent out
between 1985 and 2001. Then followed up with the still-living athletes in 2008.
And outside of endurance athletes, researchers found even power sports athletes — like
weightlifters and bodybuilders — had a 23 percent reduced risk. The risk for athletes
who did a mix of exercises dropped by 21 percent.
According to New York physiologist and physical therapist Dr. Scott Weiss, the implications
of the study are clear: "The take home message is that the more physical activity one does
at a young age, the lower their risk of diabetes."
But what may be more surprising than those gaudy numbers is the fact you don't have to
be a world-class athlete to see the same results.
According to Dr. Weiss, 30 minutes to an hour of exercise three to four days a week should
produce the same diabetes-fighting benefits.
Doctors do warn, however, that exercise must be done on a regular basis to maintain the
benefits.
The study was published in the Journal Diabetologia.