Improving postprandial hyperglycemia in prediabetic, sedentary office workers with immediately post-lunch, intermediate-intensity exercise: a comprehensive evaluation using a physical activity tracker, a dietary management application, and continuous glucose monitoring

TL;DR

This study shows that exercising right after lunch can help reduce high blood sugar in people with prediabetes.

Contribution

The study demonstrates that immediate post-lunch exercise improves postprandial glucose profiles in prediabetic individuals.

Findings

AUC values were significantly lower in the exercise phase at post-lunch 1 hour.

Cumulative AUC and %TITR values improved significantly in the exercise phase.

Glucose profiles varied between monophasic and biphasic patterns after exercise.

Abstract

This study investigated if immediately post-lunch exercise may improve postprandial hyperglycemia in individuals with prediabetes.

The study consisted of a control phase involving no exercise and an exercise phase involving exercise. During both phases, participants were assessed for their AUC, RCMC and %TITR using CGM-derived postprandial data; they were also assessed for physical activity using a physical activity tracker and for energy intake using a dietary management application.

Of the 43 males included, 23 were available for analysis. Their AUC values were significantly lower at post-lunch 1 h in the exercise phase than in the control phase with their %TITR values being significantly higher in the exercise phase than in the control phase. Their cumulative AUC values were significantly lower for post-lunch 2, 3, and 4 h in the exercise phase, with the cumulative %TITR values being also significantly higher. Their RCMC values were significantly lower for post-lunch 0–1 and 3–4 h, and significantly higher for post-lunch 1–2 h, in the exercise phase than in the control phase, with no difference for post-lunch 2–3 h between the phases. They exhibited monophasic or biphasic glucose profiles in the exercise phase with significantly different AUC and %TITR values for post-lunch 0–4 h, but no difference in HR reserve (HRR), energy intake or its composition.

In those with prediabetes, postprandial hyperglycemia improved with immediately post-lunch exercise, with significant improvements in cumulative AUC and %TITR values. Further study is required to clarify why they exhibited disparate glucose profiles.

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