Just 2 workouts a week could reduce the risk of heart death by 33% in those who are living with diabetes, according to a study recently published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, finding that all-cause mortality risk lowered when those with diabetes engage in any amount of physical activity. This is great news for all those Weekend Warriors who are cramming in all of their workouts on the weekend because they don’t have time during the week.
This large study involving over 50,000 adults with diabetes found that those who spread their workouts out through the week and those who only exercise on the weekends experienced significant reductions in both their all-cause and cardiovascular mortality risks. Additionally, the patterns of exercise did not matter as long as the total amount of time met the current health guidelines. Meaning that cramming 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity over 1 or 2 days can be just as beneficial as spreading it out over several sessions, as current recommendations suggest spreading it across a minimum of 3 days.
For this study, a team of researchers from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston University School of Public Health, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Capital Medical University, and colleagues studied data from 51,650 adults with self-reported diabetes who participated in the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) between 1997 and 2018.
Good News for Weekend Warriors
Their analysis revealed that weekend warrior activity and regularly active participants had lower risks for all-cause and cardiovascular mortality compared to inactive participants. Weekend warriors had a 21% and regularly active participants had a 17% lower all-cause mortality risk, compared with inactive participants. Weekend warriors also had a 33% and regularly active participants also had a 19% lower risk of cardiovascular mortality, compared with inactive participants. However, there were fewer differences in cancer mortality compared with physical inactivity.
Fasting Twice a Week Could Outsmart Type 2 Diabetes
In other news, a study recently presented at ENDO 2025 comparing three popular diets (intermittent fasting, time-restricted eating, and continuous calorie cutting) suggests that they all can help those with type 2 diabetes lower blood sugar levels and lose weight.
However, the 5:2 intermittent fasting plan was found to stand out among the three plans, leading to better results in fasting blood sugar levels and insulin response among those adhering to the plan. (The 5:2 plan involves eating normally for 5 days a week and restricting caloric intake for 2 days.)
Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes at a Glance
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as of 2021, an estimated 38.4 million adults in the United States (11.6%) had been diagnosed with diabetes. Of these, approximately 90-95% (34.6-36.5 million) had type 2 diabetes.
Globally, the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) estimates that over 537 million adults aged 20-79 years had diabetes in 2021. This number is projected to increase to 643 million by 2030 and 783 million by 2045.
It’s important to note that these figures may underestimate the actual number of people with type 2 diabetes, as many cases go undiagnosed.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as of 2023, approximately 40.3% of adults in the United States have obesity. This translates to over 100 million people.
Globally, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that over 1 billion people are obese, and this number is expected to increase to reach over 2 billion by 2030. Women are more likely to be obese than men, and the prevalence of obesity is highest among adults aged 40-59. Racial and ethnic minorities have higher rates of obesity than White Americans. Children and adolescents are also increasingly affected by obesity, with an estimated 1 in 5 children being overweight or obese.
This article was created at the WHN News Desk
As with anything you read on the internet, this article should not be construed as medical advice; please talk to your doctor or primary care provider before changing your wellness routine. WHN neither agrees nor disagrees with any of the materials posted. This article is not intended to provide a medical diagnosis, recommendation, treatment, or endorsement. Additionally, it is not intended to malign any religion, ethnic group, club, organization, company, individual, or anyone or anything. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.
