Stein, Michael J. and Weber, Andrea and Bamberg, Fabian and Baurecht, Hansjoerg and Berger, Klaus and Bohmann, Patricia and Brenner, Hermann and Brummer, Julian and Doerr, Marcus and Fischer, Beate and Gastell, Sylvia and Greiser, Karin Halina and Harth, Volker and Hebestreit, Antje and Heise, Jana-Kristin and Herbolsheimer, Florian and Ittermann, Till and Karch, Andre and Keil, Thomas and Kluttig, Alexander and Krist, Lilian and Michels, Karin B. and Mikolajczyk, Rafael and Nauck, Matthias and Nimptsch, Katharina and Obi, Nadia and Pischon, Tobias and Pivovarova-Ramich, Olga and Schikowski, Tamara and Schmidt, Boerge and Schulze, Matthias B. and Steindorf, Karen and Zylla, Stephanie and Leitzmann, Michael F. (2025) Diurnal timing of physical activity in relation to obesity and diabetes in the German National Cohort (NAKO). INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF OBESITY, 49 (5). pp. 921-930. ISSN 0307-0565, 1476-5497
Full text not available from this repository. (Request a copy)Abstract
BackgroundPhysical activity supports weight regulation and metabolic health, but its timing in relation to obesity and diabetes remains unclear. We aimed to assess the diurnal timing of physical activity and its association with obesity and diabetes.MethodsWe cross-sectionally analyzed hip-worn accelerometry data from 61,116 participants aged 20-75 in the German National Cohort between 2015 and 2019. We divided physical activity into sex- and age-standardized quartiles of total morning (06:00-11:59), afternoon (12:00-17:59), evening (18:00-23:59), and nighttime (00:00-06:00) physical activity. Using multivariable logistic regression, we estimated associations of physical activity timing with obesity (BMI >= 30.0 kg/m2) and diabetes (self-reported or HbA1c >= 6.5%). We accounted for sex, age, study region, education, employment, risky alcohol use, smoking, night shift work, and sleep duration.ResultsHigh afternoon (top vs. bottom quartile, OR: 0.36, 95% CI: 0.33-0.38) and evening physical activity (OR: 0.45, 95% CI: 0.42-0.48) showed lower obesity odds than high morning activity (OR: 0.71, 95% CI: 0.66-0.76), whereas nighttime activity increased obesity odds (OR: 1.58, 95% CI: 1.48-1.68). Associations were similar for diabetes, with the lowest odds for afternoon (OR: 0.47, 95% CI: 0.42-0.53), followed by evening (OR: 0.56, 95% CI: 0.50-0.62) and morning activity (OR: 0.80, 95% CI: 0.71-0.89), and higher odds for nighttime activity (OR: 1.43, 95% CI: 1.29-1.58). Findings were not modified by employment status, night shift work, and sleep duration.ConclusionsOur cross-sectional findings require longitudinal corroboration but suggest afternoon and evening activity provide greater metabolic health benefits than morning activity, while nighttime activity is discouraged.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | GLYCEMIC CONTROL; CIRCADIAN SYSTEM; GLUCOSE; METABOLISM; PHYSIOLOGY; NIGHT; LIGHT; |
| Subjects: | 600 Technology > 610 Medical sciences Medicine |
| Divisions: | Medicine > Institut für Epidemiologie und Präventivmedizin |
| Depositing User: | Dr. Gernot Deinzer |
| Date Deposited: | 17 Apr 2026 08:48 |
| Last Modified: | 17 Apr 2026 08:48 |
| URI: | https://pred.uni-regensburg.de/id/eprint/67723 |
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