Vigorous Exercise Helps Overweight Children Reduce Diabetes Risk

In roughly the same time it takes to watch the latest cartoon episode, overweight children could be reducing their risk of diabetes.

A recent study on childhood obesity may have some helpful information for parents who are worried about their child’s weight. Just 20 minutes of vigorous physical activity daily for three months can significantly reduce their risk of diabetes and lower their total body fat, according to a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Those who exercised for 40 minutes enjoyed even greater health benefits.

“If exercise is good for you, then more exercise ought to be better for you and that is what we found for most of our outcomes,” said Dr. Catherine Davis, clinical health psychologist at the Institute of Public and Preventive Health at George Health Sciences University in a news release.

The study examined 222 children from Augusta, Ga., between the ages of 7 and 11 years old who were inactive. Those who exercised for 40 minutes every day after school dropped their insulin resistance by 22 percent compared to children who stayed inactive. Those who exercised for half that time – 20 minutes – saw an 18 percent reduction in insulin resistance.

“Obesity is a growing health crisis that is affecting youth throughout the United States, and we know that obesity can contribute to the development of type 2 diabetes,” said Dr. Michael Lauer, director of the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute Division of Cardiovascular Sciences of the National Institutes of Health. “This research adds to the body of evidence that physical activity improves children’s health, that longer periods of exercise provide a greater benefit and that increased physical activity among overweight and obese children could stave off the onset of type 2 diabetes.”

Source: Georgia Health Sciences University

Alice Warchol is a freelance health blog writer and fitness instructor.

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