Increased exercise tied to lower mortality risk in adults with T2D

Higher levels of exercise appear to be associated with a lower risk of all-cause mortality in adults with type 2 diabetes (T2D) compared with no exercise at all, according to a study presented at EASD 2020.

“Exercise improves insulin sensitivity, inhibits inflammatory cytokines, and reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease ... [However,] the effect of exercise capacity on all-cause mortality in people with diabetes has not been fully explored,” said Dr Yun-Ju Lai from the Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine at Puli Branch of Taichung Veterans General Hospital in Nantou, Taiwan.

“[Therefore, our aim was] to investigate [the] association between exercise [capacity] and all-cause mortality in people with T2D,” she highlighted.

Using data from the National Health Interview Survey and the National Health Insurance research database from 2000–2016 in Taiwan, the researchers conducted a study involving 4,859 adults with T2D (mean age 59.5 years, 49.17 percent male). Participants were assessed and interviewed regarding their exercise capacity, such as how often they exercise in a week, what kind of exercise, and how long they exercise. Subjects were followed up until December 31, 2016. [EASD 2020, abstract 267]

A total of 996 death cases were reported during the entire study period.

After adjusting for potential confounders, individuals who engaged in a high amount of exercise (>800 kcal/week) had a 32 percent lower risk of all-cause mortality than those with no exercise habits (adjusted hazard ratio [HR], 0.68, 95 percent confidence interval [CI], 0.57–0.81; p<0.0001).

In addition, those who performed a moderate amount of exercise (0–800 kcal/week) achieved a 25 percent lower risk of all-cause mortality compared with those without exercise habits (adjusted HR, 0.75, 95 percent CI, 0.62–0.91; p<0.0041).

“Among people with T2D, those with increased exercise capacity had a significantly decreased risk of all-cause mortality,” Lai concluded, who suggested that “further studies should investigate the type and dose of exercise that is most helpful to promote health and prolong life expectancy.”