A recent study from Duke University Medical Center has shown that a moderate amount of exercise can reduce the risk of metabolic syndrome. Metabolic syndrome is a collection of factors that combine to put individuals at higher risk for developing heart disease, stroke, and, of interest to us, diabetes.

What are these risk factors? They include: a large waist circumference — over 40 inches in men, 35 inches in women; high levels of triglycerides –over 150; low amounts of HDL — below 40 in men, 50 in women; high blood pressure, and high blood sugar. If you’ve got 3 of the 5 factors, you can be diagnosed with metabolic syndrome.

As we are becoming increasingly sedentary — does anybody move anymore? — this is becoming an increasingly common diagnosis. However, according to the research team at Duke Medical Center, a person can lower risk of metabolic syndrome by exercise. They recommend walking 30 minutes a day, six days per week.

You’ll go approximately 11 miles in an average week, which sounds like quite a distance — but it works out to less than 2 miles a day. You’ll benefit even if you don’t make any dietary changes — just don’t start eating more! The most obvious result will be a trimmer waistline, but regular exercise can also help decrease blood pressure.

Every little bit helps. Duke cardiologist William Kraus said, “Some exercise is better than none; more exercise is generally better than less, and no exercise can be disastrous.”

Consistency is apparently more important than intensity: researchers posit that there may be more value in moderate exercise performed every day rather than intense exercise every few days.