University of Sydney finds 36% diabetes risk cut

A 2026 study tied to the University of Sydney found that very short bursts of movement during daily life were associated with a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes. The research, published in *Diabetes Care* on June 1, analyzed 22,706 UK Biobank participants who reported no leisure-time exercise at baseline. Over an average follow-up of 7.9 years, 665 participants developed type 2 diabetes. The study found that a median 3.9 minutes a day of vigorous intermittent lifestyle physical activity was associated with a 36% lower risk compared with none. ### Where did the 36% figure come from? The 36% figure came from an observational analysis of accelerometer data, not from a randomized trial. The paper examined “vigorous intermittent lifestyle physical activity,” or VILPA, defined as bursts lasting one minute or less, and found that 3.9 minutes a day was associated with a hazard ratio of 0.64 versus no VILPA. In plain terms, that corresponds to a 36% lower relative risk during follow-up. (profiles.sydney.edu.au) The same paper reported a separate measure for slightly longer moderate-to-vigorous bursts. The researchers found that 25.3 minutes a day of those bouts, called MV-ILPA, was associated with a 46% lower risk, while daily VILPA frequency showed a near-linear inverse association. ### What counted as the “four-minute workout”? The study was not about a single four-minute gym routine. (profiles.sydney.edu.au) Monash University’s summary of the findings said the activity could be woven into daily routines through bursts lasting as little as 30 seconds, including brisk stair climbing or carrying groceries. Professor Emmanuel Stamatakis of Monash University said the study “didn't involve gyms, running, or any planned exercise,” and described the approach as using “very short bursts of physical activity” during daily routines. (profiles.sydney.edu.au) MedicalXpress, which carried the university summary, said the work was led by Monash University and identified lead author Kar Hau Chong as being from the University of Wollongong and having conducted the research while at the University of Sydney’s Charles Perkins Centre. (medicalxpress.com) ### Was this actually a University of Sydney study? The publication record on the University of Sydney website lists the paper under Angelo Sabag, a University of Sydney senior lecturer and Charles Perkins Centre member. That page gives the full citation for the *Diabetes Care* article and lists Chong, Ahmadi, Biswas and other co-authors. The broader research team appears to have spanned multiple institutions. (medicalxpress.com) Monash University’s summary described the work as Monash-led, while also saying Chong conducted the research while at the University of Sydney. ### Does this prove four minutes a day prevents diabetes? The paper shows an association, not proof of causation. The researchers used prospective accelerometer data and linked health records, then modeled incident diabetes risk after adjusting for multiple factors. (profiles.sydney.edu.au) The American Diabetes Association’s 2026 standards continue to recommend lifestyle behavior change for diabetes prevention, but the standards page available here does not elevate this specific four-minute pattern into a stand-alone guideline. (medicalxpress.com) ### Who were the participants? The cohort included 22,706 adults from the UK Biobank accelerometry substudy who reported no leisure-time exercise and had no type 2 diabetes at baseline. (profiles.sydney.edu.au) Their mean age was 62.3 years, and 56.4% were female. Incident diabetes was identified through linked primary care, hospital and death records. The study is already published in *Diabetes Care* under DOI 10.2337/dc25-3018, where readers can review the methods, hazard ratios and participant definitions in full. (diabetesjournals.org) (profiles.sydney.edu.au)