As little as four hours a week of exercise can substantially reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke in women who suffer from diabetes, a new study suggested on Tuesday.

In a report that shed new light on the long-term health issues of diabetics, researchers at Harvard and Boston's Brigham and Women's Hospital found that moderate or vigorous exercise reduced the risk of cardiovascular and coronary heart disease for diabetics by about 40 percent.

Their study, published in the twice-monthly Annals of Internal Medicine, showed a similar decrease in their risk of strokes.

The findings were based on 5,125 women with type 2 diabetes, or adult-onset diabetes, in which a person loses the ability to use insulin effectively with age.

The subjects were part of a national study of female nurses that began in 1976. Researchers concentrated on information provided by the women between 1980 and 1994.

Coronary heart disease is the cause of death for more than half of all diabetes sufferers who die. Stroke kills another 15 percent.

An estimated 16 million Americans have diabetes but there has been little information about the health-promoting effects of exercise among diabetes sufferers.

The research was funded by the National Institutes of Health, the American Diabetes Association and the American Heart Association.

(From ChinaDaily)