A recent study from the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health suggests that adults with diabetes who follow physical activity guidelines can reduce the mortality risks tied to prolonged sitting. This is the first research indicating that sufficient exercise can mitigate the higher death risk linked to sitting for long hours each day, particularly in individuals with diabetes. The results of the study are featured in Diabetes Care.
Wen Dai, PhD, the study’s lead author and a former doctoral student in Epidemiology at Columbia Mailman School, stated, “Addressing the heightened risk of mortality in this vulnerable group is crucial, especially given the widespread diabetes epidemic and the tendency of those with diabetes to be more sedentary.”
Excessive sedentary behavior poses a major public health challenge, contributing to increased mortality risk across the general population.
The researchers examined data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES) conducted between 2007 and 2018, focusing on individuals aged 20 and older diagnosed with diabetes as per the American Diabetes Association guidelines. They continued to monitor these individuals until 2019 to assess their mortality status. Participants self-reported their sitting time and levels of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity. Information on demographics, lifestyle habits, and health conditions was gathered through assisted personal interviews.
Physical activity levels were classified as inactive (<10 min/week), insufficiently active (10-149 min/week), and active (≥150 min/week). Alarmingly, 38% of participants reported being physically active at the moderate to vigorous level for less than 10 minutes a week. Half of the respondents had been diagnosed with diabetes for five years or less, while 34% had lived with the condition for over a decade. Those who were inactive or engaged in less than 10 minutes of physical activity per week faced a heightened risk of mortality from all causes.
Over an approximate six-year period, the study recorded 1,278 deaths from all causes and 354 deaths due to heart disease among participants, who averaged 60 years old, with 48% being women and 61% identified as non-Hispanic White. Nearly a quarter had not completed high school, and around 12% lacked health insurance.
Senior author and assistant professor of Epidemiology at Columbia Mailman School, Sandra Albrecht, PhD, remarked, “Our findings highlight the importance of encouraging and assisting patients to adhere to physical activity guidelines, particularly for those whose situations require them to sit for long periods, such as drivers or office workers.”
The study received funding from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (K01DK107791).
