Grant: Doctoral Research Award: Canada Graduate Scholarships

Diabetes is a major health concern worldwide. It is estimated that up to 30% of people in Canada are living with pre-diabetes or type 2 diabetes (T2D). Many people with T2D, also have fatty liver disease and this can worsen blood sugar control. It is recommended that people with diabetes increase their daily physical activity to manage their blood sugars. Sometimes, increasing the amount of exercise can be very difficult. In addition, many individuals who meet the recommended exercise guidelines experience minimal improvement in their blood sugar control, and minimal reductions in liver fat. This can be very discouraging. Improving the time of day that exercise is preformed (e.g., before or after breakfast) may be a simple method to improve blood sugar control and reduce fat stored in organs such as the liver, pancreas, and muscle. To date, only short-term studies have examined how modifying exercise time of day affects people with T2D. It is unknown which time of day is best in the long term. This study will examine 16 weeks of aerobic exercise training, performed before or after breakfast, on blood sugar control and fat stored in the liver, pancreas, and muscle. It could be very motivating for people with T2D to know that they can get more benefits from exercise by changing when exercise is performed, rather than increasing the amount. Ultimately, results from this study may help clinicians more optimally prescribe exercise to help patients achieve their clinical targets and improve their overall quality of life.