Evening Exercise May Offer Higher Health Benefits for Obese Adults: Study

A recent research published in the recent issue of Diabetes Care journal found that the timing of exercise plays a crucial role in reducing the risk of death and cardiovascular diseases in adults with obesity by including those with type 2 diabetes (T2D). The study utilized accelerometry data to monitor physical activity, suggests that performing aerobic moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) in the evening could be particularly beneficial.

The study utilized data from the UK biobank and encompassed a large group of a total of 29,836 adults who were classified as obese with a body mass index (BMI) of 30 kg/m2 or higher. The participants were monitored over an average period of nearly eight years. During this time, the study recorded 1,425 deaths, 3,980 cardiovascular disease (CVD) events and 2,162 microvascular disease (MVD) events among the group.

The participants were divided into categories based on the timing of their exercise routines which were at morning, afternoon and evening. The reference group consisted of the individuals who averaged less than one bout of aerobic MVPA per day. The data revealed that engaging in exercise during the evening was associated with the lowest risk of all-cause mortality with a hazard ratio (HR) of 0.39. Morning and afternoon activities also showed beneficial effects but were less pronounced when compared to evening exercises.

The risk of developing cardiovascular and microvascular diseases were significantly lower among the evening exercisers. The findings showed that evening activity was associated with a 36% lower risk of CVD and a 24% reduction in MVD risk. The benefits extended to the individuals with obesity and T2D that suggests a potentially vital strategy for managing both conditions.

The study adjusted for a variety of potential confounders by ensuring that the results robustly support the conclusion that not just the quantity, but the timing of physical activity is critical for health outcomes in obese adults. These findings could be transformative for the management strategies of obesity and type 2 diabetes that emphasizes the importance of regular physical activity and also its timing. Further research may explore the physiological mechanisms that support why evening exercise offers these health benefits.

Reference:

Sabag, A., Ahmadi, M. N., Francois, M. E., Postnova, S., Cistulli, P. A., Fontana, L., & Stamatakis, E. (2024). Timing of Moderate to Vigorous Physical Activity, Mortality, Cardiovascular Disease, and Microvascular Disease in Adults With Obesity. In Diabetes Care (Vol. 47, Issue 5, pp. 890–897). American Diabetes Association. https://doi.org/10.2337/dc23-2448