Walking for exercise - immediate effect on blood glucose levels in type 2 diabetes.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the immediate effect of walking on blood glucose levels in patients with type 2 diabetes.


METHODS
Participating patients walked for half an hour on one occasion and on another day they remained physically inactive for half an hour. Blood glucose was measured before and after walking and resting.


METHODS
Krokom in the north of Sweden.


METHODS
Thirty-nine persons with type 2 diabetes, aged 63 (SD 8.5).


METHODS
Difference of blood glucose levels before and after walking and resting respectively.


RESULTS
Post-walk glycaemic levels were reduced by 2.2 mmol/l (SD 1.5). No significant reduction could be observed after a period of physical rest.


CONCLUSIONS
Walking can be safely employed in groups or individually as an introduction to low-intensity exercise and as a demonstration of its blood glucose lowering effect in type 2 diabetes.
Fritz
T
T
Primary Health Care Centre, Krokom, Sweden. tomas.fritz@jll.se
Rosenqvist
U
U
D000368:Aged; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis*; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood* / Q000503:physiopathology; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D013548:Sweden; D016138:Walking / Q000502:physiology*
D001786:Blood Glucose