Walking for just three minutes every half an hour could enhance blood sugar levels, a small study highlighted at a UK diabetes charity’s conference found.
Diabetes UK called these “activity snacks”, which could provide practical cost-free changes for those suffering from type 1 diabetes.
40,000 people in the UK are affected by type 1 diabetes. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune condition that cannot be prevented and makes up for about 8% of all diabetes cases.
High blood sugar can lead to complications such as kidney failure, eye problems, and heart attacks.
Managing blood sugar levels every day can be “relentless” for people with type 1 diabetes, Dr. Elizabeth Robertson, director of research at Diabetes UK, which funded the study said.
“It is incredibly encouraging that these findings suggest that making a simple, practical change - such as taking phone calls while walking, or setting a timer to remind you to take breaks - to avoid sitting for long periods - could have such a profound effect on blood sugar levels,” Dr. Robertson added.
Lead researcher Dr. Matthew Campbell, from the University of Sunderland, says for some people with type 1 diabetes “activity snacking” might be a significant stepping stone towards more physical activity whilst for others it could simply help to manage blood glucose levels.
“Importantly, this strategy does not seem to increase the risk of potentially dangerous blood glucose lows which are a common occurrence with more traditional types of physical activity and exercise,” he adds.
In the beginning stages of the trial that is yet to publish, 32 adults with type 1 diabetes finished two seven-hour sessions of sitting down.
In one session, they remained seated. In the other session, they ended the seven hours with three-minute sessions of light-intensity walking every 30 minutes.
The blood sugars of those in the study were monitored on repeat for 48 hours from the start of each session, they all had similar food during those seven hours and they did not change their insulin treatment.
Taking those regular walking breaks led to lower average blood sugar levels (6.9 mmol/L) over the 48-hour study period compared to uninterrupted sitting (8.2 mmol/L).
“The reality is simple ways of encouraging moving more through the day should benefit the vast majority of people.” Dr. Campbell said.