Impact of post-meal walking on glycaemic variability in people with type 2 diabetes

We will advise and support people with type 2 diabetes to adhere to two physical activity regimens in a crossover design, each regimen lasting two weeks with a one month washout between treatment periods. One regimen is to follow the established Diabetes New Zealand guideline of “30 minutes brisk walking most days”. The other regimen is to undertake three 10-minute walks per day, each walk commencing shortly after breakfast, lunch and dinner. Following the crossover period of the trial, participants will be invited to continue with the post-meal walking for a further three months with continuing support and motivation from the study investigators. The justification for post-meal walking is evidence of a reduction in peak glucose concentrations compared with being sedentary after eating in pre-diabetics, as measured by parameters captured with continuous glucose monitoring systems (CGMS). The 3-month follow-up will allow for changes in glycated haemoglobin, a longer-term measure of glycaemic control to be assessed, as well as a better understanding of supported environments in disease management. The study’s quantitative framework is a valuable opportunity to concurrently assess qualitative impacts on diabetes management and treatment.