A great majority of people who suffer from diabetes, and those at risk of getting the condition, aren't getting any exercise - and they're putting their lives at even greater risk, a new study warns.

Most troublesome: the more in danger they are of serious health complications, the less likely they are to exercise, researchers said.

Fewer than 40 percent of the people with type 2 diabetes are getting enough physical activity, compared to 58 percent of the people who don't have diabetes. Both figures still leave many who should get off their couches, said Dr. Elaine Morrato, a public-health expert at the University of Colorado at Denver.

Morrato led the project that looked at the exercise habits of more than 22,000 people.

'Everyone can benefit'

More than 20 million Americans have diabetes, mostly the type 2 version, but 6.2 million others are unaware that they have the disease, However, people who have diabetes face complications, such as nerve damage and high blood pressure, if they don't exercise,  according to the American Diabetes Association.

Exercising for 30 minutes a day at least five days per week, along with moderate weight loss, can reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by nearly 60 percent, according to several studies.

"Everyone can benefit from regular, daily physical activity," Morrato said. "But people who have diabetes, or who are at greatest risk for it, have even greater incentive to get out there and exercise.

"We know for a fact that increased physical activity can greatly reduce the risk for type 2 diabetes and its numerous complications. We need to do a better job reaching, motivating and helping these people to stay active."

'Difficult to be optimistic'

Morrato's findings go along with another one of her studies that shows 75 percent of diabetics said their doctors advised them to exercise. The patients who got the strongest warnings to get moving were the least likely to listen, she said.

"What we're saying is, 'Here's a high-risk population that can benefit from exercise, and they're even less likely to exercise,'" Morrato told the Associated Press. "It is difficult to be optimistic about addressing the twin epidemics of obesity and diabetes without success in increasing physical activity in the population."

However, people who have diabetes may have a harder time exercising because of complications from the disease, such as nerve damage and circulatory problems that impede their ability to get around, Morrato said.

"The challenge is to encourage people to work exercise into their routine before diabetes and its complications develop, or to find ways to help them stay active if complications have already set in," she said.

Fitness expert Charlotte Hayes, who wrote The I Hate to Exercise Book For People With Diabetes, said any kind of exercise helps, even taking a few steps at a time.

The diabetes association recommends at least 30 minutes of aerobic exercise five times a week, but adds that even five minutes a day is good for people who cannot get around easily.

For more information

•  Weight Loss & Exercise

•  Exercise and Diabetes - Frequently Asked Questions

•  How a little activity can help you manage your condition

Source: American Diabetes Association
Reference: Diabetes Care

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