A new study explores the long-term effects of diabetes prevention interventions on walking endurance, particularly focusing on adults at high risk for type 2 diabetes (T2D). The research, conducted over a 20-year period, investigates whether intensive lifestyle interventions or metformin use in the Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) can improve walking performance, a key indicator of physical function.
The study followed participants from the DPP, who were originally randomized into three groups: lifestyle intervention, metformin, or a placebo. The participants were re-assessed after two decades using the 6-minute walk test (6MWT), which measures how far an individual can walk in six minutes. Researchers sought to determine whether those who underwent diabetes prevention interventions showed improved 6MWT performance, with a particular focus on whether they could complete the test by walking at least 200 meters.
The results of the study, which analyzed data from 1,830 participants, showed no significant differences between the groups in terms of achieving 6MWT completion or the distance walked during the test. The average distances walked by participants in the lifestyle, metformin, and placebo groups were 362, 364, and 360 meters, respectively. These differences were not statistically significant (p=0.8).
However, further analysis revealed that factors such as age, education, grip strength, and physical activity (PA) were significantly associated with both the completion of the test and the distance walked. Grip strength, physical activity, and education were all positively linked to improved 6MWT performance, while age, body mass index (BMI), and HbA1c levels were negatively correlated with walking endurance.
While the study confirmed that the 6MWT is closely related to other measures of physical ability, such as grip strength and self-reported physical activity, the researchers did not find sustained benefits of the original diabetes prevention interventions on walking endurance. This suggests that maintaining a healthy lifestyle over time may offer long-term benefits, but the specific effects of the interventions studied did not show lasting improvement in physical function as measured by the 6MWT.
These findings underscore the importance of continued physical activity and overall health maintenance, but they also suggest that the immediate effects of diabetes prevention interventions may not persist over the long term without additional lifestyle support.
Related topics:
Surge in Childhood Diabetes Sparks Urgent Action in T&T
Effective Strategies for Managing Childhood Diabetes: Expert Insights
Honoring Diabetes Research Progress During American Diabetes Month
