Jun 25, 2007, 6:30 GMT
Sydney - Doctors say that too much sitting down and too much food are why 275 Australians a day are being diagnosed with diabetes.
The good news, though, is that if people only took even moderate exercise there wouldn't be 100,000 new cases of diabetes diagnosed every year.
A study led by David Dunstan of the International Diabetes Institute found that even washing dishes, tidying the shed and putting out the rubbish brings down the risk of joining the country's 1 million diabetics.
'The message that 30 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise a day is important for good health still stands,' Professor Dunstan said, adding, 'But this research suggests that there are also real benefits from reducing sedentary time and increasing the time spent on normal daily activities.'
The researchers monitored the glucose levels and routine daily activities of 173 people over a week. They measured the intensity, frequency and duration of activity.
The findings, which are published in the journal Diabetes Care, suggest everyday chores like washing the dishes and polishing shoes lowered glucose levels.
The Melbourne-based institute's Paul Zimmet warned that diabetes doubles a person's chance of dying within five years, raising their risk of limb infections, and heart and kidney problems.
'The diabetes epidemic is being driven by lifestyle factors, particularly the dramatic increase in obesity, poor diet and physical inactivity,' Zimmet said.
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