summary: An active lifestyle may significantly reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, even in people with higher genetic susceptibility. This study found that high levels of physical activity, especially moderate-to-vigorous exercise, were strongly associated with a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes.
Interestingly, highly active participants with high genetic risk had a lower risk of developing the disease compared with low-risk but inactive people. The findings of this study highlight the importance of physical activity in preventing type 2 diabetes.
Important facts:
- The study used data from 59,325 adults from the UK Biobank who wore accelerometers to track their physical activity over a period of 7 years.
- People who did at least one hour of moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity per day had a 74% lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
- People with a high genetic risk of diabetes who are active have a lower risk of diabetes than inactive people with a low genetic risk.
sauce: University of Sydney
A new study reveals that even in people with a high genetic risk of developing type 2 diabetes, being active may reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes.
A study led by the University of Sydney found that higher levels of total physical activity, especially moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, were strongly associated with a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
The survey results are British Journal of Sports Medicine.
Researchers say the study shows that higher levels of physical activity should be promoted as a key strategy for preventing type 2 diabetes, which affects millions of Australians. Says.
The study involved 59,325 adults from the UK Biobank, They were given an accelerometer (a wrist-worn activity tracker) at the beginning of the study and were followed for up to 7 years to track their health status.
The UK Biobank is a large biomedical database and research resource containing anonymized genetic, lifestyle and health information from 500,000 participants in the UK.
This included genetic markers associated with an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes. People with high genetic risk scores were 2.4 times more likely to develop type 2 diabetes than those with low genetic risk scores.
The study showed that one hour or more of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity per day was associated with a 74 percent lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes compared to participants who did less than five minutes of physical activity. it was done.
This was true even after considering other factors such as genetic risk.
Another compelling finding was that participants in the highest genetic risk but highest physical activity category, when compared with those in the lowest genetic risk but least active category, In fact, the risk of developing type 2 diabetes was low.
Lead author Melody Ding, Associate Professor of the Charles Perkins Center and School of Medicine and Health, said that while the role of genetics and physical activity in the development of type 2 diabetes is well established, most data to date have been self-reported. and said that there was almost no data. Evidence whether genetic risk is counteracted by physical activity.
“Although we cannot control genetic risk or family history, this finding provides encouraging and positive news that many of the excess risks of type 2 diabetes can be ‘fought off’ through an active lifestyle. To do.”
According to Ding, moderate-intensity physical activity is movement that makes you sweat and slightly out of breath, such as brisk walking or general gardening.
Examples of high-intensity physical activity include running, aerobic dancing, cycling uphill or at a fast pace, and high-impact gardening such as digging. These are all activities that cause shortness of breath or heavy breathing.
Studies that help inform public health guidelines
Diabetes is a global public health concern. In 2021, he said, worldwide, 537 million adults will be living with diabetes. In 2020, about 1.2 million Australians were recorded as having type 2 diabetes.
The findings also have personal implications for Ding, whose father, who is in his 60s, was recently diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.
“My paternal family has a history of type 2 diabetes, so the results of this study are very reassuring to my family and me. It gave me motivation,” says Associate Professor Ding.
“It is our hope that this study will inform public health and clinical guidelines and help health professionals, organizations and the general public to prevent chronic disease.”
“We are excited to share our findings with a wider audience and to educate them about the health benefits of physical activity, especially for those at high genetic risk. If you have a family history of type 2 diabetes.” , or if not, today is the day to start doing physical activity,” says Mengyun (Susan) Luo, a doctoral candidate who led the study.
About this exercise and genetics research news
author: ivy sea
sauce: University of Sydney
contact: Ivy Sea – University of Sydney
image: Image credited to Neuroscience News
Original research: open access.
“Physical activity, genetic risk, and development of type 2 diabetes according to accelerometer-measured intensity: a prospective cohort studyby Melody Ding et al. British Journal of Sports Medicine
overview
Physical activity, genetic risk, and development of type 2 diabetes according to accelerometer-measured intensity: a prospective cohort study
the purpose
Thirty minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per day is recommended for the prevention of type 2 diabetes (T2D), but current recommendations rely solely on self-reports and take little account of genetic risk. Is not … We investigated the predictive dose-response relationship between total/intensity physical activity and T2D development, stratified for different levels of genetic risk.
method
This prospective cohort study is based on 59,325 UK Biobank participants (mean age 2013-2015 = 61.1 years). Physical activity by total/intensity was collected using accelerometers and linked to a national registry until 30 September 2021. We examined the shape of the dose-response association between physical activity and T2D incidence using restricted cubic splines adjusted and stratified by polygenic risk score. Using Cox proportional hazards model (based on 424 selected single nucleotide polymorphisms).
result
During a median follow-up of 6.8 years, we found a strong linear dose-response relationship between moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity (MVPA) and the development of T2D, even after adjusting for genetic risk. When compared with the least active participants, the HR (95% CI) for high MVPA levels was 0.63 (0.53 to 0.75) for 5.3 to 25.9 minutes per day and 0.41 (0.34 to 0.34) for 26.0 to 68.4 minutes per day. 0.51), and 0.26. (0.18 to 0.38) > 68.4 minutes/day. No significant multiplicative interaction was found between physical activity measures and genetic risk, whereas a significant additive interaction was found between MVPA and genetic risk score, indicating that genetic risk was more It was suggested that the difference in absolute risk by MVPA level was greater among high people.
Conclusion
Participation in physical activity, especially MVPA, should be promoted, especially in those at high genetic risk for T2D. Rewards may not have minimum or maximum thresholds. This finding may aid in the development of future guidelines and interventions to prevent T2D.
