Medicine: Exercise reduces diabetes mortality, new study confirms.

A new study confirms the impact of physical exercise on reducing mortality, even for those with diabetes. The study, which will be presented at the annual congress of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) in Vienna from September 15 to 19, shows that, among people recently diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and without prior cardiovascular disease, there is a clear association between self-reported physical activity and the risk of all-cause mortality and major adverse cardiac events (MACE), including heart attacks and strokes. The study was conducted by the Steno Diabetes Centre in Odense, Denmark.

Several studies have shown that physical activity improves insulin sensitivity, glycemic control, and body composition in individuals with type 2 diabetes. Exercise is also associated with a reduction in cardiovascular risk in the general population. In this new study, the authors analyzed whether self-reported physical activity can serve as a prognostic marker for cardiovascular disease risk and mortality in individuals recently diagnosed with T2D and without prior cardiovascular disease.

According to the researchers, "even light physical activity reduces the risk of major cardiac events and all-cause mortality, regardless of traditional cardiovascular risk factors. This finding highlights the potential health benefits of engaging in at least some physical activity, rather than not engaging in it, in terms of preventing cardiovascular disease and premature death for individuals recently diagnosed with type 2 diabetes."

The study used data from the Danish Center for Strategic Research on Type 2 Diabetes (DD2) cohort, which included participants from 2010 to 2023 who had been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in the previous two years. Physical activity was self-reported by 11,355 participants and was categorized into sedentary, light, and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA). A statistical model, including adjustment for confounders, was used to estimate the risk associated with different levels of physical activity. Participants were followed until the first occurrence of major adverse cardiac events (MACEs, such as stroke and heart attack), death, emigration, or study end (May 3, 2024).

The researchers found that "18% of participants reported being sedentary, while 62% and 20% engaged in light and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, respectively. During an average follow-up period of 8.4 years, 1,149 cardiovascular events and 1,048 deaths occurred. Higher levels of physical activity were inversely associated with both MACE and all-cause mortality. After adjusting for confounders, including age, sex, year of study enrollment, duration of type 2 diabetes, smoking, alcohol consumption, and waist circumference, participants—the researchers conclude—who engaged in light physical activity and MVPA had a 23% and 28% lower risk of MACE and a 27% and 33% lower risk of all-cause mortality, respectively, compared to sedentary participants."