BEIJING, China, July 22, 2025 — Adults with diabetes who engage in physical activity, even just on weekends, can significantly slash their risk of dying from any cause. The key takeaway? Even a little movement is far better than none for those managing diabetes.
Moving More, Living Longer: Diabetes and Physical Activity
Adults with diabetes who exercise regularly or are active on weekends have a lower risk of all-cause mortality.
Adults with diabetes who exercise regularly or are active on weekends have a 21% and 17% lower risk for all-cause mortality, respectively, compared to inactive individuals. This robust finding comes from an analysis of a large U.S. health study. These impressive benefits appear primarily driven by a reduction in deaths related to heart conditions.
Finding the Benefits in Movement
- Weekend warriors and regularly active individuals experienced a 33% and 19% lower risk of heart-related deaths, respectively.
- Those who were “insufficiently active” still showed a lower risk for all-cause mortality than completely inactive people.
- Benefits for cancer-related deaths were less pronounced for both activity groups.
Researchers delved into data from the National Health Interview Survey, examining 51,650 adults diagnosed with diabetes. This extensive study tracked participants for 21 years, starting in 1997 and continuing through the end of 2019. Participants were categorized into four groups based on their physical activity levels:
- Inactive: No moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA).
- Insufficiently Active: Less than 150 minutes of MVPA per week.
- Weekend Warrior: At least 150 minutes of MVPA concentrated in one to two sessions per week.
- Regularly Active: At least 150 minutes of MVPA spread across three or more sessions per week.
The study carefully accounted for various factors that could influence health outcomes, including age, sex, ancestry, education, marital status, body mass index (BMI), smoking and alcohol habits, existing chronic conditions, self-rated health, psychological distress, mobility issues, functional limitations, and diabetes medication use.
The Numbers Behind the Movement
Over a median follow-up period of 9.5 years, the dataset recorded 16,345 deaths, with 5,620 attributed to cardiovascular disease and 2,883 to cancer. When compared to those who were inactive, the “weekend warrior” group demonstrated a 21% lower risk of death from any cause. Similarly, the regularly active group showed a 17% lower risk.
The impact on cardiovascular health was particularly striking. Weekend warriors saw a substantial 33% reduction in heart-related deaths, while the regularly active group experienced a 19% decrease. The positive effects on cancer mortality were less significant, with both active groups showing a nearly identical risk to inactive individuals.
Moving Forward: Practical Implications
The researchers noted that these findings offer a beacon of hope. “This should be reassuring given the elevated premature mortality risk, distinct physiology, and low physical activity adherence among adults with diabetes,” they stated. The study underscores the value of flexible exercise routines for people with diabetes, which can improve insulin sensitivity and blood sugar management, especially for those who find consistent, daily exercise challenging.
Study Limitations to Consider
It’s important to acknowledge the study’s limitations. Physical activity levels were self-reported, which can introduce bias. The data only captured leisure-time activity, excluding physical exertion from work or daily commutes. Furthermore, sedentary time was not measured, and activity levels were assessed only once, meaning changes over time weren’t captured. The authors reported no relevant financial conflicts.
