Physical activity in the evening improves glucose regulation

These participants wore an accelerometer and continuous glucose monitor for 14 days to measure their physical activity and glucose levels 24 hours a day. The results highlight the importance of considering time of day when prescribing physical activity

New Delhi: We have good news for people at risk of insulin resistance or type 2 diabetes. Evening physical activity has been found to improve glucose regulation, especially in overweight and obese adults.

The new study, published in the journal Obesity, found that increasing moderate to vigorous physical activity in the evening – between 6 p.m. and 12 p.m. – appears to have a positive effect on glucose regulation in men and women who are overweight or obese.

“Choosing the ideal time of day appears to be an emerging strategy to enhance the benefits of physical activity on glucose metabolism, especially in people with insulin resistance or at risk for type 2 diabetes,” the researchers note.

Additionally, according to researchers at the University of Granada (UGR) in Spain, the benefits of physical activity are greater in people who have some form of impaired glucose metabolism, such as elevated glucose levels or fasting insulin resistance.

The results were similar for both men and women.

A total of 186 overweight or obese adults (50 percent of them women) with an average age of 47 years participated in the study.