The subjects’ movement and blood values were measured from the age of 11 to 24.
Low physical activity in childhood and adolescence is associated with significantly elevated blood insulin.
A sufficient amount of light exercise, on the other hand, reduces the risk of increased insulin and insulin resistance, says a study by the Universities of Eastern Finland, Bristol and Exeter.
“Childhood immobility is a real scourge that stalks children and young people all over the world. Excessive screen time is part of the problem,” says the author of the study, docent of clinical epidemiology and child health Andrew Agbaje from the University of Eastern Finland in a research bulletin.
The longitudinal study followed 792 children who were admitted to the Bristol University research group even before birth.
The movement of the test subjects was monitored with a movement meter for 4–7 days at the ages of 11, 15, and 24. They were also examined for fasting blood sugar, blood insulin and insulin resistance at the same age.
Insulin resistance means that getting sugar from the blood into the cells requires more insulin than usual.
High blood insulin is often a sign of insulin resistance and predicts the development of type 2 diabetes.
In place the increase in time spent was connected to the increase in blood insulin concentration, especially in overweight and obese young people.
Three to four hours of light exercise per day reduced the risk of elevated insulin. A greater amount of light exercise was also associated with less insulin resistance.
Vigorous or strenuous exercise also lowered insulin, but clearly less than plenty of light exercise.
The results of the study were published Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism -in leaf.
In the process research material has previously found that a lot of sitting still has a connection with obesity in youth, disorders of fat metabolism and to early vascular changes.
Obesity is a known risk factor for type 2 diabetes. However, in the new study, exercise affected insulin directly and not just through obesity. Sufficient exercise also reduced the risk of high insulin in overweight and obese young people.
According to Agbaje, three to four hours of exercise a day is an effective way to prevent disorders of fat metabolism, low-grade inflammation, hardening of the arteries and obesity in young people.
“This should be talked about a lot more,” says Agbaje.