Physical Activity Improves Glycemic Control in T1D Across all Income Levels, suggests study
A new study published in the journal of Diabetes Metabolism Research and Review showed that regardless of socioeconomic status (SES), people with type 1 diabetes (T1D) who engage in physical exercise had improved glycemic and lipid management.
To maintain cardiometabolic health and treat T1D, physical exercise is essential. Many persons with T1D stay sedentary despite guidelines recommending at least 150 minutes of moderate-to-intense exercise each week. Frequent exercise improves lipid profiles, lowers the risk of complications, decreases the requirement for insulin, and improves glycemic management. However, participation is hampered by institutional constraints, low trust in insulin adjustment, and fear of hypoglycemia.
Glycemic outcomes, complication risk, and mortality are all significantly impacted by SES, with lower SES being associated with worse self-management and less exercise. Using continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) measures, it is uncertain if physical activity–glycemic connections differ across SES strata. This study used CGM to investigate the separate and combined effects of physical activity and SES on glycemic management in persons with T1D.
423 persons with T1D from a public healthcare setting participated in a cross-sectional research where they self-assessed their level of physical activity using the short-form International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). The mean yearly net income by census tract was used to calculate SES. Time in range (TIR) and time in tight range (TITR), which were obtained from CGM and HbA1c, were examples of glycemic outcomes.
Improved glycemic management was independently linked to higher income and physical exercise. +8.0% TIR and −0.47% HbA1c were linked to the highest activity quartile (p < 0.01). The impact of wealth on TIR was somewhat mediated by physical activity (pure indirect effect β = 2.42, p = 0.013), making up 23% of the overall effect.
There was no discernible connection between SES and activity. Regardless of wealth, those who were physically active also had a superior lipid profile and a 16% reduced insulin demand. There was a little rise in TBR without prolonged hypoglycemia.
Overall, among individuals with type 1 diabetes, physical exercise is linked to improved lipid and glucose regulation as well as reduced insulin needs. Nearly one-fourth of the SES effect on glycemic outcomes is explained by variations in physical activity, and its advantages hold true for across income levels.
Source:
Sebastian-Valles, Fernando, Rafael Simó, Jose A. Arranz Martín, et al. 2026. “ Association of Physical Activity and Socioeconomic Status With Glycaemic Control in Adults With Type 1 Diabetes: A Cross-Sectional Study Using CGM Data,” Diabetes/Metabolism Research and Reviews: e70146. https://doi.org/10.1002/dmrr.70146.
