Despite the established connection between obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease, being physically fit is more important than weight loss to decrease the occurrence of cardiovascular disease, a leading researcher told health care professionals in the capital yesterday.
A good level of fitness is effective protection against cardiovascular disease for everyone, including patients afflicted with Type 2 diabetes, Dr Silvano Zanuso, leading researcher from the University of Padua in Italy, said.
“We know that the complications arising from diabetes, not diabetes itself, cause death for diabetics. Ensuring proper fitness however reduces the mortality risk for these patients,” Dr Zanuso told Gulf News on the sidelines of the MEED Arabian Public Health Forum 2010.
With 20 per cent of the UAE population being diabetic and another 20 per cent pre-diabetic, professionals at the forum discussed the benefits of exercise to reduce the incidence of diabetes and cardiovascular diseases in the country.
Dr Zanuso said that a structured exercise programme combining aerobics and resistance training, along with regular physical activity and a proper nutritional plan, was the most effective way to reduce the mortality risk for both diabetics and pre-diabetic individuals.
Gulf News