Walking decreased risk of cardiovascular disease mortality in older adults with diabetes

J Clin Epidemiol. 2007 Mar;60(3):309-17. doi: 10.1016/j.jclinepi.2006.06.013. Epub 2006 Oct 2.

Abstract

Objective: This study examines the association of walking with mortality in persons with type 2 diabetes compared to those with normal glucose tolerance.

Study design and setting: This prospective study included community-dwelling adults from the Rancho Bernardo Study aged 50-90 years in 1984-86 who had type 2 diabetes (n=347) or normal glucose tolerance (n=1,317). During the 10-year follow up, Cox proportional hazards modeling was used to model time until death from all causes (n=538), coronary heart disease (CHD, n=143), other cardiovascular disease (non-CHD CVD, n=138), and other causes (n=257) while adjusting for multiple potential confounders.

Results: After adjusting for sex, age, smoking, body mass index, alcohol, exercise, history of CHD, and other covariates, adults with diabetes who walked > or =1 mile per day were half as likely to die from all causes combined (hazard ratio [HR]=0.54; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.33, 0.88), and less than one-fifth as likely to die from non-CHD CVD (HR=0.19; 95% CI: 0.04, 0.86) compared to adults with diabetes who did not walk. Walking was also protective among adults with normal glucose tolerance (HR=0.55; 95% CI: 0.32, 0.96).

Conclusion: Results suggest walking > or =1 mile per day may provide strong protection from all-cause and non-CHD CVD mortality in older adults with diabetes.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Alcohol Drinking / mortality
  • Body Mass Index
  • California / epidemiology
  • Cardiovascular Diseases / complications
  • Cardiovascular Diseases / mortality*
  • Cardiovascular Diseases / physiopathology
  • Cause of Death
  • Cholesterol, HDL / blood
  • Coronary Disease / complications
  • Coronary Disease / mortality
  • Coronary Disease / physiopathology
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / complications
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / mortality*
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / physiopathology
  • Diabetic Angiopathies / mortality*
  • Diabetic Angiopathies / physiopathology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Hypertension / complications
  • Hypertension / mortality
  • Hypertension / physiopathology
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Population Surveillance / methods
  • Prospective Studies
  • Risk Factors
  • Smoking / mortality
  • Triglycerides / blood
  • Walking / physiology*

Substances

  • Cholesterol, HDL
  • Triglycerides