Working Out Just Three Times a Week Could Lower Diabetes Risk for Older People

A study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.recently found that a resistance training regimen could lessen the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by significantly improving glucose tolerance in older adults, Anne Harding of Reuters reports.

Researchers at Purdue University, led by Dr. Wayne Campbell, put 36 men and women in their early 60s exercise on machines three times a week, for an hour and 15 minutes per session, for a period of three months. Some of the subjects followed a high protein diet during the 12 weeks, while others had a low protein diet.

The results of this exercise program were dramatic. Dr. Campbell said that both groups experienced "profound" improvement in glucose tolerance, according to Harding’s article.

Given that one in five Americans aged 60 or older are diabetic, this research is very good news. Granted, the study is a small one, but the results are nonetheless very encouraging.

Think about it: Older people, according to this research, need to spend a mere 4 hours of their week (totalling 168 hours) to significantly reduce their chances of getting diabetes.

And while the study didn’t include younger people, I think it’s safe to say that any person of any age would do well to let this news inspire them to get to the gym.