Best time of day to exercise for heart and diabetes health
Timing of Physical Activity on Cardiometabolic Health Outcomes
This project looks at whether exercising at different times of day helps people with type 2 diabetes and heart risk factors get more benefit from physical activity.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Brigham and Women's Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11173811 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From a patient's point of view, researchers will analyze week-long accelerometer records and health data from about 2,200 people with type 2 diabetes who took part in a previous lifestyle trial. They will compare when during the day people are active (morning, afternoon, evening) with measures like blood sugar, blood pressure, body fat, and other heart-related markers. The team will link activity timing to biological rhythms controlled by the body's internal clock to see if timing changes the benefits of exercise. Findings could point to clearer, time-based exercise advice for people with diabetes and cardiovascular risk.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults with type 2 diabetes or people at elevated cardiovascular risk who are willing to share activity data or wear an activity monitor are most relevant to these findings.
Not a fit: People who cannot be physically active because of severe mobility or medical limitations, or whose health issues are unrelated to diabetes or cardiovascular risk, may not directly benefit from timing-based exercise guidance.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could lead to simple, time-based exercise guidance that improves blood sugar control and heart-health outcomes for people with type 2 diabetes.
How similar studies have performed: Animal studies and a few small human analyses suggest exercise timing can matter, but applying this idea to large cohorts with type 2 diabetes is relatively new and not yet proven.
Where this research is happening
Boston, United States
- Brigham and Women's Hospital — Boston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Qian, Jingyi — Brigham and Women's Hospital
- Study coordinator: Qian, Jingyi
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.