THURSDAY, June 22, 2023 (HealthDay News) — Physical activity is important for type 2 diabetes prevention, particularly for those with a high genetic risk, according to a study published online June 5 in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.

Mengyun Luo, from the University of Sydney, and colleagues used accelerometry data from 59,325 participants in the U.K. Biobank to examine the prospective dose-response relationships between total and intensity-specific physical activity and incident type 2 diabetes when accounting for and stratified by different levels of genetic risk.

The researchers found that during a median follow-up of 6.8 years, there was a strong linear, dose-response association between moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity (MVPA) and incident type 2 diabetes, even after adjusting for genetic risk. Risk declined for higher levels of MVPA (hazard ratios: 0.63 for 5.3 to 25.9 minutes/day; 0.41 for 26.0 to 68.4 minutes/day; 0.26 for >68.4 minutes/day), compared with the least active participants. There was a significant additive interaction observed between MVPA and genetic risk score, suggesting those with higher genetic risk have larger absolute risk differences by MVPA levels.

“These findings can inform future guidelines development and interventions to prevent type 2 diabetes,” the authors write. “Physical activity, specifically MVPA, is beneficial, especially in those with high genetic risk, and should be promoted as a priority strategy for type 2 diabetes prevention.”

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