Heart failure cases: More than 13% of heart failure cases among people living with diabetes in India may be linked to physical inactivity, according to a global analysis that estimates how much major diabetes-related complications could be prevented if activity levels improved.
The study, published in the Journal of Sport and Health Science, also estimated that about 9.6% of coronary heart disease cases and 9.4% of cardiovascular complications among Indians with diabetes could be attributed to insufficient physical activity.
Also Read | Blood test may predict risk in common heart disease patients
Researchers pooled evidence across world regions using data from more than 2.3 million adults with diabetes, including participants from South Asia, and compared complication risks against activity levels. They noted that, worldwide, roughly one in ten cases of large-vessel complications and diabetic retinopathy in people with diabetes could be tied to physical inactivity.
At a global level, inactivity was linked to more than 10% of stroke cases, 9.7% of diabetic retinopathy, and 7.3% of heart failure among people with diabetes, with about five to seven per cent of cardiovascular and coronary heart disease cases also attributed to low activity.
The authors said the burden was consistently higher among women and people with lower education levels, pointing to social gaps that may shape who is least able to stay active. They highlighted the World Health Organization recommendation of at least 150 minutes per week of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, arguing that making movement a routine part of diabetes care could help reduce hospitalisations, disability, and healthcare costs while improving quality of life.
