The effects of aerobic exercise on 24-hour mean blood glucose levels measured by continuous glucose monitoring in type 2 diabetes: a meta-analysis
2024

Aerobic Exercise and Blood Sugar Control in Type 2 Diabetes

Sample size: 626 publication Evidence: moderate

Author Information

Author(s): Wang Chou, Tang Shaokai

Hypothesis

Does structured aerobic exercise improve 24-hour mean blood glucose levels in adults with type 2 diabetes?

Conclusion

Aerobic exercise can improve the 24-hour mean blood glucose in patients with type 2 diabetes, especially with moderate to high intensity and durations of 20-60 minutes.

Supporting Evidence

  • Aerobic exercise can improve the 24-hour mean blood glucose in patients with T2DM.
  • Moderate-intensity aerobic exercise is more effective than high-intensity exercise for blood glucose control.
  • Exercise durations of 20-40 minutes are particularly beneficial for managing blood glucose levels.

Takeaway

Doing aerobic exercise helps people with type 2 diabetes keep their blood sugar levels stable, especially if they exercise for 20 to 60 minutes at a moderate or high intensity.

Methodology

The study conducted a meta-analysis of 13 articles selected from a comprehensive search across five databases, evaluating the effects of aerobic exercise on blood glucose levels in type 2 diabetes patients.

Potential Biases

Potential selection bias due to small sample sizes and underrepresented patient populations.

Limitations

The included studies had relatively small sample sizes and were mostly short- to medium-term, lacking long-term intervention data.

Participant Demographics

626 adult participants with type 2 diabetes (30% female; mean age 59.4 years; mean BMI 29.61 kg/m2).

Statistical Information

P-Value

p<0.05

Confidence Interval

95% CI: −0.75 to −0.55

Statistical Significance

p<0.05

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.3389/fphys.2024.1496271

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