Women who participate in regular physical activity, such as brisk walking and aerobics, for five hours a week can reduce their risk of type 2 diabetes.
Women can benefit regardless of their risk for the disease.
Recent physical activity was found to lower a person's risk of heart disease and premature death more than exercise performed several decades ago. Women who exercised years before the study, but did not exercise today, had a higher risk for heart disease. Women between the ages of 46 and 71 who gained five to 20 pounds during a four-year study had more body pain and less physical vitality. This was true regardless of whether they were thin or obese to begin with. Maintaining a healthy weight over time, or losing just five pounds if you're overweight, can reverse those problems.