Study Details the Effect of Exercise of Diabetes Risk

More leisure time physical activity (LTPA) is associated with significantly lower incidence of type 2 diabetes in the general population, according to the results of a recent study.

While the inverse association between physical activity (PA) and type 2 diabetes mellitus are well known, the shape of the dose-response relationship is less clear. In order to further examine this association, researchers conducted a systematic literature review involving 28 prospective studies on LTPA or total PA and risk of type 2 diabetes.
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The researchers converted PA into metabolic equivalent of task (MET) h/week and marginal MET (MMET) h/week, which considers energy expended above resting metabolic rate.

Overall, they found a 26% risk reduction for type 2 diabetes among individuals who achieved 11.25 MET h/week (150 min/week of moderate activity) compared with inactive participants. Twice this amount of PA was associated with a 36% risk reduction, with reductions continuing to increase at higher doses.

“Higher levels of LTPA were associated with substantially lower incidence of type 2 diabetes in the general population,” the researchers concluded. 

“The relationship between LTPA and type 2 diabetes was curvilinear; the greatest relative benefits are achieved at low levels of activity, but additional benefits can be realized at exposures considerably higher than those prescribed by public health recommendations.”

—Michael Potts

Reference:

Smith AD, Crippa A, Woodcock J, Brage S. Physical activity and incident type 2 diabetes mellitus: a systematic review and dose–response meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies [published online October 17, 2016]. Diabetologia. doi:10.1007/s00125-016-4079-0.