13:20
Friday 04 November 2022
One study found that going to the gym in the afternoon or evening may be better for losing weight than morning workouts.
Exercising between noon and midnight has been shown to reduce insulin resistance, which can lead to up to a quarter of weight gain.
Experts say exercising at the optimal time can therefore help people control their weight and reduce their chances of developing type 2 diabetes.
Insulin resistance occurs when muscle, fat and liver cells struggle to respond to insulin and cannot easily absorb glucose from the blood, resulting in increased blood sugar.
Previous studies had linked exercise to improved insulin sensitivity, which would reduce the risk of diabetes, but the scientists wanted to see if timing had any effect.
Researchers from Leiden University Medical Center in the Netherlands studied nearly 7,000 people, aged between 45 and 65.
Most had a BMI of 27 or higher, meaning they were overweight or obese, and the control group had a healthy weight.
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Participants underwent a physical exam in which blood samples were taken to measure blood glucose and insulin levels during fasting and after eating.
Subjects were also asked about their lifestyle, and some were randomly selected to measure liver fat content using MRI scans.
A randomized group of 955 people were also given a combined accelerometer and heart rate monitor to wear for four consecutive days and nights to monitor movement and activity levels. About 775 people with complete data were included in the analysis.
The results showed that spending time in moderate to vigorous physical activity reduces liver fat and also reduces insulin resistance.
Exercise in the afternoon or evening was associated with 18% and 25% lower insulin resistance, respectively, compared to an even distribution of activity throughout the day.
The study, published in the journal Diabetologia, found that there was no significant difference in insulin resistance between morning activity and evenly distributed activity throughout the day.
The authors conclude: “These results suggest that the timing of physical activity during the day is closely related to the beneficial effects of physical activity on insulin sensitivity. development of type 2 diabetes. “
