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The researchers concluded that “timing appears to be important” when it comes to physical exercise.
CNN
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person who has type 2 diabetes A new study finds that exercise should be done in the afternoon, not in the morning, to manage blood sugar levels.
“This study showed that adults with type 2 diabetes had the greatest improvement in glycemic control when they were most active in the afternoon,” said co-author Jingyi Qian, M.D., of the Division of Sleep and Circadian Disorders. said. He was at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Massachusetts, the statement said.
“We know that physical activity is beneficial, but our study adds a new understanding that the timing of activity may also be important,” added Qian.
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A team of researchers at the Brigham Joslin Diabetes Center studied data from more than 2,400 overweight and obese people. Diagnosed with type 2 diabetes They wore a hip accelerometer (which measures the vibration and acceleration of movement) to measure 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 reductions in blood sugar levels.
according to Harvard School of Public Health Examples of “moderate” activities include brisk walking, mowing with an electric lawnmower, and playing badminton recreationally, while “vigorous” activities include hiking, fast jogging, basketball and Includes a game of soccer or biking at 14-16 mph.
You can tell if you’re exercising at a moderate aerobic level by being able to talk but not sing your favorite song, according to . US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Looking at data from the fourth year of the study, the researchers found that those who exercised in the afternoon were most likely to keep their blood sugar levels low and stop taking blood sugar-lowering diabetes medications. .
Type 2 diabetes is the most common type of diabetes and occurs when the body becomes resistant to insulin or doesn’t produce enough insulin. World Health Organization.
It occurs primarily in adults and is associated with older age, obesity, family history, physical inactivity, and race/ethnicity.
Diabetics are at risk for complications such as nerve damage, vision and hearing problems, kidney disease, heart disease, and premature death.
The study’s authors point out that this observational study has limitations because it did not measure sleep or eating.
“Timing seems to be important,” says co-author Dr. Roland Middelbeek, an associate investigator at the Joslin Diabetes Center. “In the future, we may have more data and experimental evidence to help patients provide more personalized recommendations.”
Dr Lucy Chambers, Head of Research Communication at Diabetes UK, said of the study: “Staying physically active can help people with type 2 diabetes manage their blood sugar levels and reduce the risk of developing serious diabetes-related complications, such as heart disease and diabetes.” as well as improve overall health.
Chambers, who was not involved in the study, stressed the need for people to exercise as much as possible.
“This new study found that regular ‘moderate-to-vigorous’ physical activity, whether in the morning, midday, afternoon, or evening, was associated with lower mean blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes.” . Exercise in the afternoon is associated with the greatest effect, but the reasons for this are unclear, and current evidence regarding the optimal time for exercise is mixed.
“If you’re living with type 2 diabetes, the most important thing is to find exercise that’s fun and that you can build into your routine long-term, like before work, during your lunch break, or in the evening,” she added.
The team’s findings are published in a magazine diabetes care.
