Balducci S, et al. – A randomized controlled trial was designed to assess a novel behavioral intervention strategy for increasing PA and decreasing sedentary time (SED–time) in patients with type 2 diabetes. Moreover, this behavioral intervention is effective in the short–term for increasing LPA and MVPA and reducing SED–time. They found significant improvements in cardiometabolic risk profiles in subjects experiencing the most pronounced changes in PA and SED–time, even if below the recommended level.

Methods

• Clinicians randomized 300 physically inactive and sedentary patients with type 2 diabetes 1:1 to receive theoretical and practical counseling once yearly for 3 years (intervention group [INT]) or standard care (control group [CON]).
• They describe the 4–month impacts on objectively (accelerometer) measured daily light–intensity PA (LPA), moderate–to–vigorous–intensity PA (MVPA), and SED–time, and cardiovascular risk factors.

Results

• In both groups LPA and MVPA both increased, and SED–time decreased, While alterations were significantly more marked in INT participants (approximately twofold for LPA and SED–time and approximately sixfold for MVPA). A significant reduction in HbA1c was observed only in INT subjects.
• In context of the findings, an increase in LPA >0.92 h • day–1 and in MVPA >7.33 min • day–1 and a decrease in SED–time >1.05 h • day–1 were associated with a average decrease in HbA1c of ~1% and also with significant improvements in fasting glucose, body weight, waist circumference, and hs–CRP.
• Alterations in PA and SED–time were independent predictors of improvements in HbA1c.