New Delhi. People with type 2 diabetes should commit to a daily walk to lower the risk of heart disease said Dr. KK Aggarwal, President, Heart Care Foundation of India.

In a study of 102 adults with type 2 diabetes, Japanese researchers have shown that those who stick to a daily walking regimen for 17 months have a lower risk of developing heart disease or suffering a stroke than those who stop exercising.

The study participants, who ranged in age from 35 to 75, were instructed to take a 20 to 30-minute walk every day. Among the 64 who managed to achieve this, just 1 - 2 percent suffered a stroke and none developed heart disease during the 17-month study. In contrast, of the 38 participants who failed to stick to their exercise prescription, 7-18 percent developed heart disease or had a stroke.

The findings show that even simple at-home exercises may cut the cardiovascular risks associated with type 2 diabetes. Heart disease and stroke are among the long-term complications of type 2 diabetes.

Better blood sugar control, may help explain why regular exercisers in this study had a lower risk of cardiovascular disease.