Review
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2016. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Diabetes. Jun 25, 2016; 7(12): 243-251
Published online Jun 25, 2016. doi: 10.4239/wjd.v7.i12.243
Daily physical activity and type 2 diabetes: A review
Hidetaka Hamasaki
Hidetaka Hamasaki, Department of Internal Medicine, National Center for Global Health and Medicine Kohnodai Hospital, Chiba 272-8516, Japan
Hidetaka Hamasaki, Hamasaki Clinic, Kagoshima 890-0046, Japan
Author contributions: Hamasaki H wrote the review.
Conflict-of-interest statement: No conflict of interest.
Open-Access: This article is an open-access article which was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Correspondence to: Hidetaka Hamasaki, MD, PhD, Department of Internal Medicine, National Center for Global Health and Medicine Kohnodai Hospital, 1-7-1 Kohnodai, Chiba 272-8516, Japan. hhamasaki78@gmail.com
Telephone: +81-47-3723501 Fax: +81-47-3721858
Received: January 26, 2016
Peer-review started: January 27, 2016
First decision: March 23, 2016
Revised: April 5, 2016
Accepted: May 7, 2016
Article in press: May 9, 2016
Published online: June 25, 2016
Abstract

Physical activity improves glycemic control and reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and mortality in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D). Moderate to vigorous physical activity is recommended to manage T2D; however, patients with T2D can be physically weak, making it difficult to engage in the recommended levels of physical activity. Daily physical activity includes various activities performed during both occupational and leisure time such as walking, gardening, and housework that type 2 diabetic patients should be able to perform without considerable physical burden. This review focuses on the association between daily physical activity and T2D. Walking was the most common form of daily physical activity, with numerous studies demonstrating its beneficial effects on reducing the risk of T2D, CVD, and mortality. Walking for at least 30 min per day was shown to reduce the risk of T2D by approximately 50%. Additionally, walking was associated with a reduction in mortality. In contrast, evidence was extremely limited regarding other daily physical activities such as gardening and housework in patients with T2D. Recent studies have suggested daily physical activity, including non-exercise activity thermogenesis, to be favorably associated with metabolic risks and mortality. However, well-designed longitudinal studies are warranted to elucidate its effects on overall health.

Keywords: Type 2 diabetes, Daily physical activity, Walking, Non-exercise activity thermogenesis

Core tip: In addition to moderate- to vigorous-intensity exercise, daily physical activity is also important for the prevention and management of type 2 diabetes (T2D). Of note, individuals can engage in daily physical activity without remarkable physical burden, anywhere and at any time. It is well known that exercise improves the outcomes of metabolic diseases and reduces cardiovascular disease risk and mortality. However, the literature pertaining to the effects of specific types of daily physical activity on health is sparse. It is necessary to accumulate evidence on the positive effects of daily physical activity on the management of T2D.