Effect of postprandial moderate-intensity walking for 15-min on glucose homeostasis in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients

Aim: Diabetes patients usually have a low activity level and complain about lack of time. Therefore, we investigated the effect of short time, postprandial moderate-intensity exercise on glucose homeostasis in type 2 diabetes patients.

Methods: Eleven patients with type 2 diabetes were recruited. Patients spent the first day of the study without exercise (non-exercise day; NE day). In the second day, they walked at moderate-intensity (40% of the maximum heart rate reserve) for 15 min, 30 min after each meal (exercise day; E day). Glucose homeostasis was estimated by a continuous glucose monitor (CGM). All meals during the study were of standard composition. We compared NE day and E day concerning 24-h glucose homeostasis and 3 h postprandial glucose levels by the incremental area under the curve (iAUC) method. Medications were not changed during the study.

Results: The number of patients under basal supported oral therapy, intensive insulin therapy and oral hypoglycemic agents (OHA) were 5, 4 and 2, respectively. The blood glucose standard deviation over 24 h and the iAUC for the 24-h glycemic variability (NE day vs. E day; 34,765 [21,424-56,014] vs. 23,205 [15,323-39,779]) were smaller in E day than in NE day.

Conclusion: These results suggest that postprandial moderate-intensity walking, easily performable in daily life activities, was effective for improving glucose homeostasis. Further study should be performed to clarify the relationship between postprandial walk and drug therapy (insulin and OHA), including insulin secretory ability.