Scientists from the University of Sydney have found that an active lifestyle can reduce the likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes by 74 percent. The findings of the work were published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.

The study involved nearly 60,000 people who were asked to wear accelerometers on their wrists for seven years of follow-up. Among the subjects were also people who had high genetic risk factors for diabetes. In such patients, the probability of developing the disease is 2.4 times higher compared to people without a genetic predisposition.

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The results showed that participants who engaged in moderate to vigorous physical activity for more than an hour a day had a 74 percent lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes than people who exercised for less than five minutes. Moreover, a pronounced correlation was observed even in those patients who had a strong genetic predisposition.

In May 2023, a team of US researchers concluded that afternoon physical activity could improve symptoms of type 2 diabetes. Specifically, exercising at this time of day was more effective in lowering blood glucose levels.