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To Prevent Type 2 Diabetes in Women, Losing Weight Is More Important Than Being ActiveWeinstein AR , Sesso HD, Lee IM, et al.: Relationship of physical activity vs. body mass index with type 2 diabetes in women. JAMA 292:1188–1194, 2004. What is the problem and what is known about it so far?A person with a high body mass index (BMI, a measure of obesity) is overweight or obese. People who are overweight or obese are at higher risk of getting type 2 diabetes. People who are not physically active are also at higher risk. Health care professionals want to know which is more important in preventing diabetes: losing weight or becoming more active. Who was studied?Researchers studied healthy women, age 45 or older, who did not have diabetes, heart disease, or cancer when the study began. A total of 37,878 women were followed for almost 7 years. How was the study done?The women filled out a questionnaire. Some questions asked about weight and height. Researchers used this information to figure out BMI. Other questions asked about physical activity. Researchers gave each woman an activity score. This was based on what kind of exercise she got, how hard she exercised, and how often she exercised. What did the researchers find?During the study, 1,361 women developed type 2 diabetes. It was clear that being obese or overweight made women more likely to get diabetes. Not being active slightly increased the risk. What were the limitations of the study?It was up to the women to tell the researchers that they were diagnosed with diabetes. Some cases of diabetes may have been missed. The women reported their own physical activity. This self-reported information might not be correct because people sometimes lie or make mistakes. What are the implications of the study?Women need to lose weight to prevent type 2 diabetes. Being physically active is also important in lowering BMI and preventing diabetes. |
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