Higher physical activity may prevent more type 2 diabetes cases among older adults

A recent study presented at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes suggests that higher levels of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) may reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes (T2D), particularly among older adults. The research, led by Dr. Diana van Heemst from Leiden University Medical Centre, found that adults younger than 63 years who engaged in less MVPA had more than double the risk of developing T2D compared to those who engaged in more MVPA.

However, among adults 63 years and older, lower MVPA levels were associated with a 65% higher relative risk of developing T2D.

Despite the higher overall risk of T2D among older adults, encouraging more physical activity could prevent more cases of the disease in this group. Current public health guidelines recommend at least 150 minutes per week of MVPA, such as brisk walking, running, or cycling. However, the study's findings indicate that the optimal timing and amount of physical activity may vary by age and underlying health conditions.

The study included data from 87,975 adults without diabetes who participated in the UK Biobank study. Researchers categorized participants into lower or higher MVPA groups based on their weekly physical activity levels. Over an average follow-up of 7.7 years, 2,140 participants developed T2D. The analysis revealed that participants in the lower-MVPA group had twice the relative risk of developing T2D compared to those in the higher-MVPA group, after adjusting for factors like age, sex, ethnicity, education, smoking status, sleep duration, and family history of diabetes.

Interestingly, the timing of physical activity also appeared to influence T2D risk, particularly among younger adults. Those who exercised later in the day (from 1 p.m. to midnight) had a 10% lower relative risk of T2D compared to those who exercised earlier in the day (from 5 a.m. to before 1 p.m.). Among younger adults, lower MVPA levels were associated with more than twice the relative risk of developing T2D compared to higher MVPA levels.

In contrast, among older adults, lower MVPA levels were linked to a 65% higher relative risk of T2D.

The study also found that both age and underlying prediabetes conditions influenced the relationship between physical activity and T2D risk. Among younger adults, lower MVPA levels were associated with more than twice the relative risk of developing T2D, while among older adults, the risk increased by 65%. The time of day also played a more significant role for younger adults, with exercising later in the day associated with a 23% lower risk of T2D compared to a 4% lower risk among older adults.

The authors concluded that the findings highlight the importance of considering both relative and absolute risk when examining the impact of physical activity on T2D prevention.