A recent study published in Diabetes Care which looked into the association between specific types of physical activity and all-cause and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality revealed that moderate physical activity levels were associated with better prognosis in diabetic adults.

A total of 3,038 participants (675 deaths) with diabetes in the Health Survey for England and the Scottish Health Surveys conducted between 1997 and 2008 were studied. Participants aged ≥50 years at baseline were followed up for an average of 75.2 months for all-cause and CVD mortality. Data were collected on self-reported frequency, duration, and intensity of participation in sports and exercise, walking, and domestic physical activity.

Individuals who were active and met the physical activity recommendations had a 35% lower all-cause mortality while those participants who reported some activity, but below the recommended amount had a 26% lower all-cause mortality. Participation in sports, above average levels of walking and exercise also resulted in all cause reduction in mortality. One important finding was that domestic physical activity or household activity did not reduce mortality.