A new study published in Diabetes Care, conducted by researchers Angelo Sabag, Matthew N. Ahmadi, and colleagues, has shed light on the relationship between the timing of physical activity and its impact on health outcomes for adults with obesity, including those with type 2 diabetes (T2D). The study suggests that engaging in physical activity during the evening may be associated with a lower risk of mortality, cardiovascular disease (CVD), and microvascular disease (MVD).

The study utilized data from 29,836 UK Biobank participants with obesity and followed them for an average of 7.9 years, during which time there were 1,425 deaths and thousands of CVD and MVD events. The participants were categorized based on the time of day they usually participated in moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA), either in the morning, afternoon, or evening, compared to a reference group with no MVPA bouts.

Key findings included:

Evening MVPA had the lowest associated risk of mortality (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.39), compared to morning (HR = 0.60) and afternoon MVPA (HR = 0.67).
Evening MVPA was also linked to the lowest risk of CVD (HR = 0.64) and MVD (HR = 0.76).
For participants with T2D, evening MVPA showed the lowest risk of mortality, CVD, and MVD compared to those who did not engage in any MVPA.

The implications of these findings could be significant for managing obesity and T2D, as they emphasize the potential importance of not only the amount but also the timing of physical activity. The researchers postulate that the circadian rhythm and glucose metabolism could be factors in the observed benefits, given that insulin sensitivity and glucose regulation are challenged in individuals with obesity and T2D.

This research is particularly impactful considering the global rise in obesity rates and its implication on public health. It suggests that interventions to manage obesity and related health conditions might benefit from factoring in the timing of physical activities.

For a detailed understanding of the study, refer to the original article in Diabetes Care with the following link: https://doi.org/10.2337/dc23-2448.

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Jeff Caba, DHSc, PA-C.

Jeff brings to Buoy over 20 years of clinical experience as a physician assistant in urgent care and internal medicine. He also has extensive experience in healthcare administration, most recently as developer and director of an urgent care center. While completing his doctorate in Health Sciences at A.T. Still University, Jeff studied population health, healthcare systems, and evidence-based medi...

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References

Sabag, A., Ahmadi, M. N., Francois, M. E., Postnova, S., Cistulli, P. A., Fontana, L., & Stamatakis, E. (2024). Timing of moderate to vigorous physical activity, mortality, cardiovascular disease, and microvascular disease in adults with obesity. Diabetes Care, 47(5), 890-897. https://doi.org/10.2337/dc23-2448