HEALTH

Can physical activity lessen a person’s inherited propensity for disease?

According to recent research, even people with a high genetic risk of having type 2 diabetes may minimise their risk by remaining active.

www.theindiaprint.com can physical activity lessen a persons inherited propensity for disease images 2023 06 06t103423.309 11zon

The University of Sydney-led research revealed a significant association between greater levels of general physical activity, especially moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical exercise and a decreased risk of type 2 diabetes.

The results were reported in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.www.theindiaprint.com can physical activity lessen a persons inherited propensity for disease images 2023 06 06t103430.720 11zon

The researchers said the study suggests increased levels of physical exercise should be advocated as a significant approach for type 2 diabetes prevention, which affects millions of Australians.

www.theindiaprint.com can physical activity lessen a persons inherited propensity for disease images 2023 06 06t103438.873 11zon
The research recruited 59,325 participants from the UK Biobank, who wore accelerometers (activity trackers worn on their wrist) at the start of the trial and were subsequently followed for up to seven years to measure health effects.

The UK Biobank is a large-scale biological database and research resource collecting anonymized genetic, lifestyle and health information from half a million UK individuals.

This includes genetic markers linked with an increased risk of acquiring type 2 diabetes. People with a high genetic risk score had 2.4 times the chance of acquiring type 2 diabetes when compared with those with a low genetic risk score.www.theindiaprint.com can physical activity lessen a persons inherited propensity for disease images 2023 06 06t103449.084 11zon

The research indicated more than an hour of moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical exercise per day was related with a 74 percent decreased risk of acquiring type 2 diabetes when compared with people who conducted less than 5 minutes of physical activity,

This was even when other variables, including genetic risk, were accounted for.

Another striking discovery was that individuals with a high genetic risk, but who were in the most physically active group, actually had a decreased probability of acquiring type 2 diabetes when compared with those with a low genetic risk but in the least active category.

Senior author Associate Professor Melody Ding from the Charles Perkins Centre and the Faculty of Medicine and Health says although the role of genetics and physical activity in the onset of type 2 diabetes is well established, until now most data was self-reported and there was little evidence whether the genetic risk could be counteracted by physical activity.

“We are unable to control our genetic risk or our family history, but this finding offers hopeful and encouraging news that one can greatly reduce their excessive risk for type 2 diabetes by leading an active lifestyle.”

According to Associate Professor Ding, activities like brisk walking and typical gardening are examples of moderate-intensity physical exercise since they cause you to perspire and feel a little out of breath.

Running, aerobic dancing, riding quickly or steeply, and hard gardening, such as digging, are all examples of vigorous-intensity physical exercise. These activities all leave you gasping for air or requiring heavy breathing.

study to influence public health recommendations

Diabetes is a problem for the world’s public health. Around the globe, 537 million people have diabetes as of 2021. In 2020, it was estimated that 1.2 million Australians had type 2 diabetes.

For Associate Professor Ding, whose father was only recently identified as having type 2 diabetes in his fifties, the results also had deep personal significance.

The study’s findings are tremendously encouraging for my family and myself since my dad’s side of the family has a history of type 2 diabetes. I already lead an active lifestyle, so I now have even more incentive to do it,” adds Associate Professor Ding.

“Our hope is that this study will inform clinical and public health recommendations to aid in the prevention of chronic disease for individuals, groups, and the general public.”

“I am very excited to share the findings of our study with a wide audience and spread the message that physical exercise improves health, particularly for those with high hereditary risk. Today is the day to start being active, whether you have a family history of type 2 diabetes or not, advises PhD student Mengyun (Susan) Luo, who oversaw the research.

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