In type 2 diabetes, glucose (blood sugar) does not move into the cells as it normally would, so it builds up in the blood stream, where it can have adverse effects on blood vessels and nerves. Physical activity encourages the transport of glucose into cells.
In order to find out what kind of physical activity is best at improving blood sugar control, researchers conducted a review of results from multiple reports that pooled the data of original studies. This approach produces results with greater certainty. Data came from 10 systematic reviews with meta-analyses, encompassing 76 primary studies with a total of 2,954 participants.
The review found that people with type 2 diabetes who participated in high-intensity interval training (known as HIIT) had better blood sugar control than those who were sedentary or participated in moderate-intensity continuous training. HIIT was also effective at improving other important health measures, like body composition, lipid profiles, blood pressure, and cardiorespiratory (aerobic) fitness.
Any type of physical activity is beneficial for blood sugar control and for overall health—whether you have type 2 diabetes or not. HIIT involves alternating between short bursts of intense physical activity that really gets your heart pumping (typically 15 seconds to four minutes) and periods of rest or low-intensity exercise. This method can be applied to almost any activity that gets your heartrate up, including cycling, swimming, strength training, vigorously vacuuming, climbing stairs, or even walking/running (moving as fast as you can for a short burst, then slowing to a normal pace until your heart rate comes down, then repeating the process). If you would like to try HIIT, check with your healthcare provider first to make sure you have no contraindications.