Increasing the physical activity is related to the reduced risk of type 2 diabetes it’s from obesity. And, in turn, that the different neighborhoods have parks, green spaces or sports facilities are important determinants of exercise, especially in the neediest areas.
AN new study, developed within the project Heart healthy hoods gives University of Alcala (UAH), confirms the relationship between the availability of these resources for sports and the prevalence of obesity and Type 2 diabetes in the city of Madrid. Also, study interactions with the socioeconomic level it’s him sex.
To do this, the research team analyzed a sample of 1,270,512 residents between 40 and 75 years, which represents 91% of the population of this age group in the capital. The results were recently published in the journal. diabetes.
In the case of areas where not only are there less availability of sports facilities, but also a lower socioeconomic level, the increase is much greater in both obesity and diabetes, and especially in the case of women.
Luis Cereijo, main author (UAH)
“In neighborhoods where there is less availability of sports equipment, the population presents up to 22% more obesity and up to 38% more diabetes than those who have greater availability of resources for the practice of physical exercises”, he explains to SINC luis cherry, main author and researcher in Physical Activity Epidemiology at UAH and at RMIT University of Australia.
“Furthermore, in the case of areas where there is not only less availability of sports facilities, but also a lower socioeconomic level, the increase is much greater in both obesity and diabetes, and especially in the case of women”Adds Cherry.
Thus, areas with low availability of sports facilities and a lower socioeconomic level have 13% more obesity and 17% more diabetes than those with few resources for exercising, but with a high socioeconomic level. In the case of women, they have an increase in the prevalence of diabetes by more than twice (24%) compared to men (10%) in the same conditions.
Improve cities to reduce disease
The economic impact of obesity will double in Spain over the next 40 years, according to a modeling study carried out in eight countries and published this month in the magazine. BMJ Global Health.
If by 2050 we already know that two thirds of the planet will live in cities, we must focus on optimizing them to improve the health of many millions of people
Manuel Franco (UAH)
“Obesity and diabetes are chronic diseases of high prevalence across the planet, both in countries with low socioeconomic status and in high-income countries”, he highlights. frank manuel, Professor of Epidemiology at the UAH and the Johns Hopkins University from the USA “This work shows that the place where we live, its urban characteristics, affect these important pathologies.”
“Studying the characteristics of neighborhoods, who lives in them and how we can improve them to reduce the burden of diabetes and obesity is a fundamental challenge today,” he continues. “If by 2050 we already know that two-thirds of the planet will live in cities, we must focus on optimize them to increase health of many millions of people”.
Affordable and inclusive physical activity
The authors propose an increase in resources for the practice of physical exercise in the most disadvantaged areas, in the form of new free sports facilities or with a low monthly price to make them accessible.
The authors intend it to be an inclusive physical activity that reaches the largest possible population.
“It is important that public administrations, especially municipalities, pay more attention to sport policies. That they abandon the focus of sport as a form of leisure and free time and approach it as a tool to reduce inequalities in the health and improvement of the population’s quality of life”, emphasizes Luis Cereijo.
They also emphasize the need to develop exercise programs with a gender perspective. “It’s about being an inclusive physical activity that reaches as many people as possible – especially those most neglected by public policy – to reduce disparities and improve data on obesity, diabetes and multiple cardiovascular diseases related to inactivity”, he concludes.
Reference:
Cereijo, L., Gullón, P., Del Cura, I. et al. Exercise facilities and the prevalence of obesity and type 2 diabetes in the city of Madrid. diabetes (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00125-021-05582-5
The study was carried out in collaboration with researchers from the Australian Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, the American Drexel Dornsife School of Public Health and the Primary Care Research Unit of the Community of Madrid.
Source: SYNC
Rights: Creative Commons.
.
