Dubai, United Arab Emirates (CNN) — A new study concluded that people with type 2 diabetes should exercise in the afternoon instead of the morning to control their blood sugar.
“In this study, we showed that adults with type 2 diabetes achieved the greatest improvement in glucose control when they were Most active in the afternoon.
“We knew that physical activity was beneficial, but what our study adds is a new understanding that the timing of physical activity may be important as well,” Qian added.
A team of researchers from the Brigham and Joslin Diabetes Center studied data on more than 2,400 overweight people diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.
Participants wore a device that measured vibration or acceleration of movement to measure their physical activity.
After reviewing data from the first year of the study, the researchers found that those who did “moderate to vigorous” physical activity in the afternoon had the greatest drop in blood glucose levels.
According to the Harvard School of Public Health, “moderate” activities include brisk walking and mowing the lawn with a power mower, while “vigorous” activities include hiking, brisk jogging, playing basketball, soccer, or cycling. At a speed of between 14 and 16 miles per hour.
Looking at data from the fourth year of the study, the team found that those who exercised in the afternoon kept blood glucose levels lower and had a higher chance of stopping their glucose-lowering diabetes medications.
Type 2 diabetes is the most common type of diabetes, and it occurs when the body becomes insulin resistant or does not produce enough insulin, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
People with diabetes are at increased risk of complications including nerve damage, vision and hearing problems, kidney disease, heart disease, and premature death.
This observational study comes with limitations. It did not measure sleep or diet, its authors note.
“Timing seems to matter,” said study co-author and Joslin Diabetes Research Associate Research Associate, Dr. Roland Middlebeck. “Going forward, we may have more data and empirical evidence for patients to provide more personalized recommendations.”
Speaking about the study, Diabetes UK’s director of research communications, Dr Lucy Chambers, said: “People with type 2 diabetes staying physically active can help control their blood sugar levels and reduce their risk of serious diabetes-related complications. such as heart disease, kidney failure, and improving their general health.”
Chambers, who was not involved in the study, stressed the need for people to exercise wherever they can.
She explained the following: “This new research found that regular moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, whether in the morning, midday, afternoon, or evening, was associated with lower average blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes. Afternoon exercise has the most benefits, but for reasons that aren’t clear.”
And if you have type 2 diabetes, Chambers says, “the most important thing is to find physical exercise that you enjoy and that you can incorporate into your routine long-term, whether it’s before work, during your lunch break, or in the evening.”
The team’s findings have been published in the journal Diabetes Care.
2023-07-02 11:14:10
#Study #Exercising #noon #people #type #diabetes
