Could Lifting Weights Reduce the Risk of Diabetes in Women?

A recent study shows that lifting weights may help lower the risk of type 2 diabetes in women.

As cardio has proven to be a preventative measure against the health issue, muscle-strengthening, especially when combined with cardiovascular exercises, can greatly benefit patients suffering from the illness or at an increased risk.

Researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health followed 99,316 middle-aged and older women for a period of eight years. All of the study participants were part the Nurses' Health Study from 2000 to 2008 and Nurses' Health Study II from 2001 to 2009. None of the women had diabetes at baseline.

A complete weekly analysis in which the participants performed resistance exercises, aerobic activity and lower intensity muscular conditioning in 2004 and 2005 showed that resistance exercise and lower intensity muscular conditioning exercises were both independently associated with a lower risk of diabetes.

In fact, the study authors noted that women who did at least 150 minutes of aerobic activity and at least 60 minutes of muscule-strengthening activities experienced the greatest reduction for the disease when compared to those who are inactive.

"The findings from our study...suggest that incorporating muscle-strengthening and conditioning activities with aerobic activity according to the current recommendation for physical activity provides substantial benefit for [diabetes] prevention in women," researchers said, via a press release.

What do you think?

More information regarding the study can be found via the journal PLOS Medicine.