Exercise Timing Affects those with Type 2 Diabetes

In a recent study, a research team from Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Joslin Diabetes Center investigators, along with collaborators found that exercise yields better results depending on the time of day for those with Type 2 diabetes.

Previous studies over the years have shown that physical activity improves heart health in patients with Type 2 diabetes. But what was not known is whether exercising at a certain time of the day promised an added health bonus.This new research finds a correlation between the timing of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity and cardiovascular fitness as well as the health risks for individuals who have Type 2 diabetes and obesity or are overweight.

The research team found that men who performed physical activity in the morning had the highest risk of developing coronary heart disease, men most active midday had lower cardiorespiratory fitness levels. While women showed no difference and no association between specific activity timing and CHD risk or cardiorespiratory fitness.