27 Jan Physical Activity and Abnormal Blood Glucose Among Healthy Weight Adults
MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Dr. Arch G. Mainous III
Arch G. Mainous III, PhD
HSRMP Department Chair
Florida Blue Endowed Professor of Health Administration
University of Florida Health
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study?
Response: As our post-industrial society becomes more and more sedentary, there is a concern that a lack of activity is associated with poor health outcomes like diabetes. At the same time, the medical community has a strong focus on determining whether patients are overweight or obese as a way to classify them as being at higher risk for poor health outcomes. However, individuals at a “healthy weight” in general, are considered to be at low risk. Some recent studies have shown that many individuals at “healthy weight” are not metabolically healthy. How then might we predict who at “healthy weight” would be unhealthy? We hypothesized that individuals at “healthy weight” who had a sedentary lifestyle would be more likely to have prediabetes or undiagnosed diabetes.
MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings?
Response: We found that individuals at “healthy weight” who had prediabetes or undiagnosed diabetes had lower levels of physical activity than “healthy weight” adults with normal glucose levels. In fact, abnormal blood glucose (prediabetes or undiagnosed diabetes) was detected in 23.7% of individuals with low activity levels, 14.8% of those with medium activity levels, and 12.2% of those with high activity levels.
MedicalResearch.com: What should readers take away from your report?
Response: Being at a “healthy weight” may be misleading if you lead a very sedentary lifestyle and get little physical activity. It is important to keep moving and don’t focus only on the scales.
MedicalResearch.com: What recommendations do you have for future research as a result of this study?
Response: The initial next step is to look more into the concept of normal weight obesity. For people at “healthy weight” it is unclear whether all exercise has equal benefits. Our previous studies have also shown that hand grip strength differentiates individuals with prediabetes, undiagnosed diabetes and undiagnosed hypertension at “healthy weight”. We need to know more about body composition and the role of resistance exercise in preventing prediabetes or diabetes.
MedicalResearch.com: Is there anything else you would like to add?
Response:
MedicalResearch.com: Thank you for your contribution to the MedicalResearch.com community.
Citation:
Physical Activity and Abnormal Blood Glucose Among Healthy Weight Adults
Note: Content is Not intended as medical advice. Please consult your health care provider regarding your specific medical condition and questions.
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Last Updated on January 27, 2017 by Marie Benz MD FAAD