Effect of Timing and Duration of Exercise on Glycemia in Prediabetes

Postprandial hyperglycemia is an important contributor to overall glycemic exposure in older adults with diabetes or impaired glucose tolerance. In this experiment, researchers compared the effect of short exercise sessions after each meal (timed to coincide with food absorption) versus single longer daily exercise sessions in 10 sedentary overweight people (age, >60) with impaired fasting glucose (105–125 mg/dL).

Each participant underwent three different exercise routines (on 3 separate days) in a controlled environment at a research center; the exercise consisted of treadmill walking at 3 miles per hour. On one occasion, participants exercised for 15 minutes thrice daily, starting 30 minutes after meals. On the second and third occasions,…