No gym, no running! 4 minutes of these daily activities may prevent diabetes, finds study

In the first study in the world to highlight  a link between short bursts of physical activity and lower risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes, published today in leading scientific journal Diabetes Care, researchers found less than four minutes a day of short bursts of moderate to intense activity could reduce a person’s risk of developing the condition by more than a third.

These bursts of energy, termed ‘physical activity micropatterns’, can last as little as 30 seconds at a time, and are easy to incorporate into daily life.

Researchers have split them into two main categories: vigorous intermittent lifestyle physical activity, or VILPA, and the moderate-to-vigorous-intensity equivalent, MV-ILPA.

An average of 10 daily VILPA bursts of up to a minute at a time were found to reduce the risk of diabetes by 36 per cent, while an average of 39 bursts of M-VILPA lasting up to three minutes at a time was associated with 41 per cent lower risk.

Senior author Professor Emmanuel Stamatakis, Director of the Monash Brain Park at the Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health in the Monash School of Psychological Sciences, said the practical implications of undertaking ‘micropatterns’ are significant for the four in five adults who don’t regularly exercise.

“This is about finding creative ways to incorporate health-enhancing movement into your daily routine through very short bursts of physical activity that most people would not even identify as exercise,” Professor Stamatakis said.

“Our study didn’t involve gyms, running, or any planned exercise that typically require memberships, travelling or wearing sports gear, so it’s realistic and achievable even for people who can’t or are not keen to initiate and sustain that type of exercise program.

“It’s as easy as taking the stairs at a brisk pace instead of the lift, or leaving your trolley at the supermarket checkout and carrying your groceries to your car instead.”

Type 2 Diabetes is one of the fastest growing chronic diseases in the world, estimated to affect more than 1.3 billion people by 2050.

Caused by a combination of lifestyle factors and genetics, the condition occurs when the body resists insulin or fails to produce enough, causing high blood sugar.

The Monash-led study examined 22,706 non-exercising UK adults for nearly eight years, finding they were 36 per cent less likely to develop Type 2 Diabetes if they undertook up to four minutes a day of micropatterns-based physical activity at various intervals.

Lead author Dr Kar Hau Chong, from the University of Wollongong, who conducted this research while at the University of Sydney's Charles Perkins Centre, said the advances in wearable technology make it even easier for people to measure and do the right amounts and types of physical activity to lower Type 2 Diabetes risk.

“People are often discouraged about structured exercise because of the time it takes,” Dr Chong said.

“But our research shows people should instead focus on the intensity and regularity of the activity bursts throughout the day, which is now easier to track with smart watches and other wearables.

“But it is very important to emphasise that this needs to become habitual daily behaviour, it should not be seen as a quick fix."

How can I measure intensity?

Take the cues from your body: breathing, heart rate and even whether or not you can sing while performing the activity are good indicators.

During light intensity activities, you are able to talk or sing comfortably.

Moderate intensity typically makes breathing slightly faster and would make you feel warmer if performed for more than a few minutes. You can talk but cannot sing.

Vigorous intensity makes breathing much faster and most people will also feel an increase in heart rate if the activity is sustained for more than 20 seconds. You can only speak a few words. If the activity is truly vigorous, the large majority of middle-aged and older adults could not sustain it continuously past one to two minutes at a time.

Examples of moderate and vigorous physical activity micropatterns

Burst of vigorous intensity physical activity lasting up to one minute (vigorous intermittent lifestyle physical activity, or VILPA):

Running for the bus or train

Bursts of power walking while doing errands

Stair climbing

Carrying shopping bags or a backpack weighing at least 10 per cent of your own bodyweight

Uphill walking

Playing high-energy games with children or pets

Heavy household chores or gardening.

The moderate-intensity equivalent (M-VILPA) covers the same concept but at a lower intensity threshold and in slightly longer bursts of up to three minutes:

Brisk walking

Household chores at moderate intensity

Walking while carrying shopping bags or a backpack weighing around 5 per cent of your own bodyweight.