Human study · Exercise · 18 Sept 2026
Lower weekly MVPA tracked more than twice the relative type-2 diabetes risk under age 63
Source: News-Medical
What the research found
Study (observational; EASD 2026 presentation of a Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism paper, doi 10.1111/dom.71214). Qiuyu Feng, Diana van Heemst and Leiden colleagues analyzed 87,975 UK Biobank adults without diabetes (mean age 63; 57% women) who wore a wrist accelerometer for seven days, then followed 7.7 years (2,140 new T2D cases). Lower MVPA (median 121 min/week) vs higher (409 min/week) tracked about twice the relative T2D risk; under age 63 the relative gap was more than twofold, versus 65% higher risk at 63+. Absolute case numbers rose more with age, especially in men. Later-day activity (1 pm–midnight) tracked 10% lower relative risk. Conference/cohort limits. Educational exercise notes, not a diabetes treatment.
Evidence level: Human study. A study in people, but an association isn't proof of cause.
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