One-Minute Exercise Snacks and Daytime Glucose in Adults With Type 2 Diabetes
Key facts
- Where
- Beijing, ChinaSee the site
Could this be for you?
Answer for yourself. This is not a decision: only the study team can say whether you can take part.
- Are you between 35 and 75 years old?
Where in China
- Capital University Of Physical Education And SportsBeijing, ChinaNo longer taking part
Questions to ask the study team
- How often do I need to come in, and for how long each time?
- Are travel costs paid?
- Can I keep my own doctor?
- What happens if I want to stop?
Trial details
- Who runs it
- Capital University of Physical Education and Sports, China
- Trial code
- NCT07930065
- Record updated
- 10 November 2026
- Original description
This randomized crossover trial investigated whether brief, one-minute bouts of exercise, known as "exercise snacks," could improve daytime blood glucose levels in adults with type 2 diabetes who were not receiving insulin treatment. The study also examined whether increasing the number of daily exercise snacks provided additional benefits for blood glucose control.Read full original descriptionShow less
Effects of 1-Min Exercise Snacks on Daytime Glucose in Adults With Type 2 Diabetes Not Treated With Insulin: A Randomized Crossover Trial
This randomized crossover trial investigated whether brief, one-minute bouts of exercise, known as "exercise snacks," could improve daytime blood glucose levels in adults with type 2 diabetes who were not receiving insulin treatment. The study also examined whether increasing the number of daily exercise snacks provided additional benefits for blood glucose control.
Participants were randomly assigned to different sequences of four experimental conditions: no prescribed exercise snacks (CON), four exercise snacks per day (ES4), six exercise snacks per day (ES6), and eight exercise snacks per day (ES8). Each condition lasted two consecutive days, with a washout period of at least 72 hours between conditions. Each exercise snack consisted of one minute of vigorous body-weight movements. Three exercise sessions were scheduled after meals, while additional sessions were performed at other times of the day.
Participants followed standardized meal plans and wore continuous glucose monitoring devices to measure glucose levels throughout the study. The primary outcome was mean daytime sensor glucose from 6:00 AM to midnight. Additional assessments included glucose variability, post-meal glucose responses, physical activity, exercise adherence, participant acceptability, and safety.
The researchers hypothesized that at least one exercise snack condition would reduce daytime glucose compared with the control condition, while additional daily exercise sessions might not necessarily produce greater glucose-lowering benefits. The findings were intended to inform practical, time-efficient exercise recommendations for adults with type 2 diabetes.
Inclusion: Adults aged 35-75 years; Diagnosis of type 2 diabetes mellitus for at least 6 months; Glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) level between 6.5% and 9.0% at screening; Not receiving insulin therapy; Stable glucose-lowering medication regimen for at least 3 months before enrollment; Physically inactive, defined as less than 150 minutes per week of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, assessed using the Chinese version of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form (IPAQ-SF); Able to independently perform body-weight exercises, including jumping jacks, squats, and high knees; Able to use a smartphone and willing to wear a continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) sensor and a heart-rate chest strap; Willing to participate voluntarily and provide written informed consent.
Exclusion: Recent history of severe hypoglycemia or hypoglycemia unawareness; Unstable cardiovascular disease, including unstable angina, acute ischemic changes on a resting electrocardiogram, decompensated heart failure (New York Heart Association class III-IV), uncontrolled severe arrhythmias, symptomatic severe aortic stenosis, acute myocarditis or pericarditis, or other cardiovascular conditions considered absolute contraindications to vigorous exercise; Myocardial infarction or stroke within the preceding 6 months; Uncontrolled severe hypertension (blood pressure ≥180/110 mmHg); Active diabetic foot disease or severe peripheral neuropathy; Any other condition that, in the investigator's judgment, made the individual unsuitable for participation in the study; Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) <30 mL/min/1.73 m² or severe hepatic dysfunction, defined as alanine aminotransferase (ALT) >3 times the upper limit of normal; Current use of insulin, sulfonylureas, or meglitinides; Severe proliferative diabetic retinopathy; Pregnancy, breastfeeding, or planned pregnancy; Shift work or markedly irregular sleep-wake schedules.