Brief, Regular Movement Breaks Can Improve Cardiovascular Risk in T2D

Patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) who are largely sedentary can improve cardiovascular risk factors through brief movement breaks, or “exercise snacks,” according to a recent study.¹

Presented at the American Diabetes Association (ADA) Scientific Sessions 2026 in New Orleans, Louisiana, by Alexis Marcotte-Chénard, PhD, a professor at the University of Quebec in Outaouais, this study reflects a much more accessible method of improving the ABCs of diabetes – hemoglobin A1c, blood pressure, and LDL cholesterol.^1,2

“If you tell a patient that they should do 150 minutes a week of moderate to vigorous physical activity, and they’re not active, then it seems like a lot,” Marcotte-Chénard told HCPLive in an exclusive interview. “But if you tell them to do 4 or 5 minutes a day, spread throughout the day, while you’re doing different activities, then many people would find this more accessible than doing just a long bout of physical activity.”

Marcotte-Chénard and colleagues conducted the present study to examine the impact of a 12-week movement break intervention on the ABC target and its collective components. A total of 69 adult patients with T2D, of whom 46 were female, were randomly assigned to movement breaks performed at either a high intensity (n = 31) or low intensity (n = 38).¹

The team instructed patients to complete 4 1-minute movement breaks per day for ≥5 days per week, with a total goal of ≥20 movement breaks per week. Patients were assigned the intervention via a smartphone application, which provided customizable prompts and demonstration videos for each movement break. Marcotte-Chénard and colleagues measured ABC target components before and after the 12-week intervention.¹

Ultimately, the proportion of patients achieving their targets increased from 72% to 79% (P = 0.02) for A1c and from 54% to 61% for blood pressure (P = .04). However, the proportion of patients achieving their LDL-C targets was unchanged (49 to 53%; P = .37; all main effects of time). Additionally, the proportion of patients achieving the triple ABC target was unchanged from baseline to post-intervention (21 to 27%; P = .18).¹

When treated as continuous variables, Marcotte-Chénard and colleagues found a main effect of time for systolic (-5.4 [-8.3 to -2.5] mmHg, P <.001) and diastolic (-3.5 [-5.2 to -1.8] mmHg, P <.001) blood pressure, with no difference between groups (P ≥.015). No main effects of time or between-group differences were found for A1c or LDL-C (all P ≥.18).¹

Ultimately, the team concluded that these “exercise snacks” have the capacity to improve cardiovascular risk markers when performed regularly, regardless of intensity. Marcotte-Chénard and colleagues do, however, note the need for further research into the broader applicability of these findings, as well as how they could be implemented in a clinical setting.¹

“I think it all depends on the patient’s preference and their physical capacity,” Marcotte-Chénard said. “A typical movement break should be something that a patient could perform well in their environment. For intensity, I would say moderate to vigorous intensity. And for frequency, I would say that the best way for people living with type 2 diabetes would be after a meal.”

Editors’ Note: Marcotte-Chénard reports no relevant disclosures.

References

1. Marcotte-Chénard M, Sandilands R, Babir F, et al. Movement Breaks Improve Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Adults Living With Type 2 Diabetes: A Randomized Trial. Abstract presented at the American Diabetes Association (ADA) Scientific Sessions 2026, New Orleans, LA. June 5-8, 2026.

2. Zhu Y, Lin L, Zhang J, et al. Age-stratified associations of glycemia, blood pressure, and cholesterol with mortality in diabetes: A prospective cohort study. BMC Med. Published online May 30, 2026. doi:10.1186/s12916-026-04946-1