Which is better for managing diabetes: walking or running?
Both walking and running are excellent forms of cardiovascular exercise and can help manage diabetes. Here are some key points to consider: **Starting Exercise**: If you're new to exercise or out of shape, start with walking short distances and gradually increase your distance and duration. **Calorie Burning**: Running burns more calories per minute than walking. For example, a person weighing 160 pounds burns about 156 calories walking at 3.5 mph for 30 minutes, but about 356 calories running at 6 mph for the same time. **Impact on Joints**: Walking is a low-impact exercise, meaning it puts less stress on your joints compared to running, which is high-impact. **Osteoarthritis Risk**: Surprisingly, runners have a lower risk of osteoarthritis and hip replacement than walkers, possibly due to lower body mass indices (BMI). **Injury Risk**: Runners are more prone to injuries, especially overuse injuries, compared to walkers. **Health Benefits**: Both walking and running can lower your risk of diabetes, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure. However, since walking is less vigorous, you'll need to walk longer or more often to achieve the same benefits as running. **Conclusion**: The best exercise for managing diabetes is the one you enjoy and will stick with. Whether it's walking, running, or a combination of both, consistency is key. **Tips for Walking**: Walk in a group, swing your arms, try incline walking, water walking, use walking poles, or wear a weighted vest to increase intensity.