Beneficial Associations of Physical Activity With 2-h but Not Fasting Blood Glucose in Australian Adults

Abstract

OBJECTIVE—We examined the associations of physical activity with fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and with 2-h postload plasma glucose (2-h PG) in men and women with low, moderate, and high waist circumference. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS—The Australian Diabetes, Obesity and Lifestyle (AusDiab) study provided data on a population-based cross-sectional sample of 4,108 men and 5,106 women aged ≥25 years without known diabetes or health conditions that could affect physical activity. FPG and 2-h PG were obtained from an oral glucose tolerance test. Self-reported physical activity level was defined according to the current public health guidelines as active (≥150 min/week across five or more sessions) or inactive (<150 min/week and/or less than five sessions). Sex-specific quintiles of physical activity time were used to ascertain dose response. RESULTS—Being physically active and total physical activity time were independently and negatively associated with 2-h PG. When physical activity level was considered within each waist circumference category, 2-h PG was significantly lower in active high–waist circumference women (β −0.30 [95% CI −0.59 to −0.01], P = 0.044) and active low–waist circumference men (β −0.25 [−0.49 to −0.02], P = 0.036) compared with their inactive counterparts. Considered across physical activity and waist circumference categories, 2-h PG levels were not significantly different between active moderate–waist circumference participants and active low–waist circumference participants. Associations between physical activity and FPG were nonsignificant. CONCLUSIONS—There are important differences between 2-h PG and FPG related to physical activity. It appears that 2-h PG is more sensitive to the beneficial effects of physical activity, and these benefits occur across the waist circumference spectrum.