A small study presented at a UK diabetes charity's conference suggests that walking for three minutes every half-hour could help reduce blood sugar levels. A seven-hour study of 32 individuals with type 1 diabetes revealed that taking regular walking breaks lowered their blood sugar levels.
According to Diabetes UK, these "activity snacks" could provide practical and cost-free modifications. About 40,000 individuals in the United Kingdom have type 1 diabetes.
The condition occurs when the immune system of the body assaults insulin-producing pancreatic cells. This renders the pancreas incapable of producing insulin, resulting in elevated blood sugar levels. People must take insulin medication on a regular basis.
Diabetes is a lifelong condition that causes excessively elevated blood sugar levels. Type 1 diabetes occurs when the body's immune system assaults and destroys insulin-producing cells. While type 2 diabetes is caused when the body fails to generate enough insulin or its cells do not respond properly to insulin. However, type 2 diabetes is significantly more prevalent than type 1.
Dr. Matthew Campbell, the lead researcher from the University of Sunderland, was surprised by the magnitude of the results with modest levels of activity. He mentioned that they anticipate additional research to ascertain this strategy's long-term benefits.
He stated that for some individuals with type 1 diabetes, "activity snacking" could be an essential stepping stone towards more regular physical activity, while for others, it could be a simple intervention to help control blood glucose levels. Importantly, this strategy does not appear to increase the risk of potentially life-threatening blood glucose lows, which are common with more conventional forms of physical activity and exercise.
In the preliminary, unpublished trial, 32 adults with type 1 diabetes sat for a total of seven. This occurred throughout two sessions.
During one session, participants remained seated. While in the other, they divided the seven-hour period into 30-minute intervals of light-intensity walking (at their own tempo) lasting three minutes.
Their blood sugar levels were monitored continuously for 48 hours following the beginning of each session, and they all consumed the same foods and did not alter their insulin regimen. They remained seated during one session. In the other, the seven-hour period was broken up with 30-minute intervals of three-minute light-intensity walking (at their own cadence).
Their blood glucose was continuously monitored for 48 hours following the beginning of each session, and they all consumed the same foods and did not alter their insulin treatment during the seven-hour period. During the 48-hour study period, the regular walking breaks resulted in lower average blood sugar levels (6.9 mmol/L) than constant sitting (8.2 mmol/L). Additionally, walking pauses increased the time individuals spent with their blood sugar levels within the optimal range.
Dr. Campbell stated that he intended to conduct larger studies over a longer period of time to better comprehend the advantages of this method. He added that the reality is that simple methods to encourage more movement throughout the day should benefit the vast majority of individuals.
