A new study from Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health reveals that adults with diabetes who exercise regularly can reduce the risk of death associated with excessive sitting.
This is the first study to demonstrate that adequate physical activity can counteract the elevated risk of mortality linked to long periods of sitting, even for those with diabetes.
The study’s findings are published in the journal Diabetes Care.
“Managing the increased risk of death in people with diabetes is especially important given the widespread diabetes epidemic and the tendency for these individuals to sit more and move less,” said Wen Dai, Ph.D., the study’s first author, who conducted the research while a doctoral student in Epidemiology at Columbia Mailman School.
Excessive sitting is a major public health issue, increasing the risk of death for the general population.
The researchers analyzed data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES) conducted between 2007 and 2018.
They focused on individuals aged 20 or older with diabetes, as defined by the American Diabetes Association, and followed these individuals through 2019 to determine their mortality status.
Participants reported their sitting time and levels of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, and data on demographics, lifestyle, and medical conditions were collected through interviews.
Physical activity was categorized into three groups: inactive (less than 10 minutes per week), insufficiently active (10-149 minutes per week), and active (150 minutes or more per week).
The study found that 38% of participants were physically active for less than 10 minutes per week.
About half had been diagnosed with diabetes for five years or less, and 34% for more than 10 years. Inactive individuals or those with less than 10 minutes of weekly physical activity had a higher risk of death from all causes.
Over approximately six years, there were 1,278 deaths from all causes and 354 deaths from heart disease among participants, who were on average 60 years old, 48% female, and 61% non-Hispanic white. About one-quarter had less than a high school education, and approximately 12% lacked health insurance.
“Our findings emphasize the importance of encouraging and supporting patients to meet recommended physical activity guidelines, especially for those whose jobs require long periods of sitting, such as drivers or office workers,” said Sandra Albrecht, Ph.D., senior author and assistant professor of Epidemiology at Columbia Mailman School of Public Health.
In conclusion, this study highlights that regular exercise can help reduce the risk of death associated with prolonged sitting in adults with diabetes. Encouraging physical activity is crucial, particularly for those with sedentary lifestyles.
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