Does inadequate exercise increase mortality?

This study investigated whether inadequate exercise can be associated with mortality due to systemic (whole body) infection (sepsis) in patients with diabetes mellitus. 

Sepsis is a medical condition caused by an overwhelming immune response to infection. Chemicals released into the blood to fight infection trigger widespread inflammation (a localized protective reaction of tissue to irritation, injury, or infection, characterized by pain, redness, swelling, and sometimes loss of function) which may result in organ damage. Blood clotting during sepsis reduces blood flow to limbs and internal organs, depriving them of nutrients and oxygen. In severe cases, one or more organ fails. In the worst cases, infection leads to a life-threatening drop in blood pressure, called septic shock. This can quickly lead to the failure of several organs causing death. Patients with diabetes mellitus often develop a complication called neuropathy (damage to the nerves), which can impair them to feel pain when they are injured. Also, these patients are more prone to infection due to high blood sugar (glucose) levels, since most bacteria needs glucose to survive and multiply. Physical activity is known to improve organ function by increasing blood flow and help regulate inflammation. This study aimed to test whether inadequate exercise can be associated with sepsis mortality in patients with diabetes mellitus.

The study involved 155484 people who participated in a previous study, of whom 2163 had diabetes. Of these, 789 patients exercised below the recommended level (inadequate exercise group), while 1374 patients exercised according to or above recommended levels (adequate exercise group). 

Results showed that 2.8% of the patients in the inadequate exercise group died due to sepsis compared to only 0.4% of the patients in the adequate exercise group. It was also observed that inadequate exercise increased sepsis-related mortality in diabetic patients by 4.78-fold to 13.8-fold than in non-diabetic patients, whose sepsis-related deaths increased by only 1.80-fold to 2.46-fold.

In summary, inadequate exercise increases the risk of sepsis mortality, particularly in patients with diabetes mellitus.

Consult your physician for the recommended exercise level in your situation.