OBJECTIVE: Physical activity is associated with a reduced risk of
developing diabetes and with reduced mortality among diabetic patients.
However, the effects of physical activity on the number of years lived
with and without diabetes are unclear. Our aim is to calculate the
differences in life expectancy with and without type 2 diabetes associated
with different levels of physical activity. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS:
Using data from the Framingham Heart Study, we constructed multistate life
tables starting at age 50 years for men and women. Transition rates by
level of physical activity were derived for three transitions: nondiabetic
to death, nondiabetic to diabetes, and diabetes to death. We used hazard
ratios associated with different physical activity levels after adjustment
for age, sex, and potential confounders. RESULTS: For men and women with
moderate physical activity, life expectancy without diabetes at age 50
years was 2.3 (95% CI 1.2-3.4) years longer than for subjects in the low
physical activity group. For men and women with high physical activity,
these differences were 4.2 (2.9-5.5) and 4.0 (2.8-5.1) years,
respectively. Life expectancy with diabetes was 0.5 (-1.0 to 0.0) and 0.6
(-1.1 to -0.1) years less for moderately active men and women compared
with their sedentary counterparts. For high activity, these differences
were 0.1 (-0.7 to 0.5) and 0.2 (-0.8 to 0.3) years, respectively.
CONCLUSIONS: Moderately and highly active people have a longer total life
expectancy and live more years free of diabetes than their sedentary
counterparts but do not spend more years with diabetes