Association between accelerometer‐measured physical activity, genetic risk, and incident type 2 diabetes: A prospective cohort study
Authors' conclusion
Replacing other physical activities (SB, sleep, and LIPA) with MVPA was associated with a lower risk of T2D, and a high level of MVPA could partially mitigate the genetic risk, suggesting the considerable health benefits driven by a physically active lifestyle.
Study context
- Population
- Participants without T2D at baseline, UK Biobank
- Participants
- 93,096 participants
- Exposure
- Substitution of time between accelerometer-measured sedentary behaviour (SB), sleep, light-intensity physical activity (LIPA) and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA); stratified by genetic risk
- Outcome
- Incident T2D
Methodological detailsisotemporal substitution model, stratified by T2D polygenic risk score
- Isotemporal substitution model
- Stratified by T2D polygenic risk score
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Replacing 1 h/day of SB with other behaviours: lower risk of T2D
3% to 38%
Replacing 1 h/day of other behaviours with MVPA: lower risk of T2D
34% to 38%
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Incident T2D by genetic risk (polygenic risk scores (PRS)) strata
- Inverse associations remained consistent after stratification by T2D PRS
- Within the same genetic risk stratum, less MVPA associated with progressively weaker protection against T2D
- Intermediate genetic risk with high MVPA: similar T2D risk to low genetic risk with low MVPA
- High genetic risk with high MVPA: comparable risk to intermediate genetic risk with low MVPA
Original publication
Association between accelerometer‐measured physical activity, genetic risk, and incident type 2 diabetes: A prospective cohort study. Diabetes Obes Metab. Published 3 October 2025. doi:10.
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