Physical activity and diet-induced weight management have been shown to reduce progression from impaired glucose tolerance to type 2 diabetes by 58% (Pan et al., 1997; Tuomilehto et al., 2001). Recent recommendations are for a minimum of 150 min/week of moderate to vigorous physical activity, with no more than 2 consecutive days without activity (Sigal et al., 2006). Walking has been advocated as a low impact exercise mode for sedentary individuals, with 10,000 steps/day suggested to conform with daily activity recommendations (Tudor-Locke et al., 2004). Seven physically inactive non-diabetes individuals (2 male, 5 female; age 51 ± 12 yrs, weight 77.4 ± 11.3 kg, height 1.64 ± 0.05 m; Mean ± SD) and seven physically inactive, diet treated individuals with Type 2 diabetes (4 male, 3 female, age 54 ± 7 years, weight 107.2 ± 18.9 kg, height 1.66 ± 0.12 m) took part in this study. The walking intervention consisted of accumulating 10,000 steps/day, for 6 weeks, as monitored using a pedometer. HbA1c % and total cholesterol were measured from venous blood samples at rest, whilst glucose concentrations were measured for 2 hr during an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). Paired sample t-tests (SPSS version 14) were used to determine differences pre and post training in each group (P <0.05). Subjects increased steps/day from 4414 ± 1796 and 5267 ± 931 steps/day to 9517 ± 2059 and 9873 ± 1001 steps/day in non-diabetes and Type 2 diabetes individuals respectively. Neither group demonstrated significant differences in fasting glucose (4.5 ± 0.8 vs. 4.1 ± 0.3 mmol.L^-1 and 6.8 ± 1.2 vs. 6.7 ± 1.2 mmol.L^-1 ), peak glucose (5.9 ± 0.9 vs. 5.7 ± 1.0 mmol.L^-1 and 11.8 ± 1.0 vs. 11.8 ± 0.9 mmol.L^-1 ), and 2 hr glucose (4.3 ± 0.3 vs. 3.9 ± 1.0 mmol.L^-1 and 11.8 ± 1.0 vs. 11.8 ± 0.9 mmol.L^-1 ) pre and post intervention. A decrease was observed in HbA1c % in the Type 2 diabetes group following the 6 wk intervention (7.6 ± 1.2 to 6.5 ± 0.6; P=0.05). Glucose AUC_response decreased significantly in the type 2 diabetes group from 634±78.4 to 541±76.1 (mM.min^-1 P=0.05). Resting heart rate (73±18 to 64±14 beats.min^-1 P=0.018), mean arterial pressure (103.4±13.1 to 98.8±12.6 mm.mg P=0.05) and total cholesterol (209.5±11.5 to 174.9±1.9 mg.dL^-1 P=0.02) were lower post training in the type 2 diabetes group. The present study demonstrates that six weeks of accumulated exercise is effective in improving glycaemic control, mean arterial pressure and resting total cholesterol in individuals with type 2 diabetes. Our data suggests that daily walking should be recommended to glucose intolerant and type 2 diabetes individuals for improving health and maintaining glycaemic control.