Just 150 minutes of exercise a week could reverse Prediabetes

Prediabetes is a condition where blood sugar levels are higher than normal, but not high enough to be diagnosed as type 2 diabetes (yet). For most people, it is a warning sign that without lifestyle changes, you are at increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. On the other hand, Prediabetes usually does not cause any symptoms, and only a blood test can confirm the same. The good news is that in most cases, Prediabetes is highly reversible, through the right lifestyle changes, diet control and most importantly, exercise. Yes, new research says that just 150 minutes of exercise per week can significantly reverse prediabetes... Let's see how..

The study
New research published in Cardiovascular Diabetology – Endocrinology Reports brings encouraging news: just 150 minutes of exercise per week can significantly reverse prediabetes and restore normal blood sugar levels.


What is Prediabetes level
Prediabetes is a condition where blood sugar levels are higher than normal but not high enough to be diabetes. It is usually identified by:

Fasting blood glucose between 100 and 125 mg/dL

Glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) between 5.7% and 6.4%

Oral glucose tolerance test results between 140 and 199 mg/dL after a glucose load

If left unchecked, prediabetes often progresses to type 2 diabetes rather quickly, a chronic (and mostly irreversible) disease that can cause heart disease, kidney failure, nerve damage, and other serious complications.

The Study
The recent study analyzed data from Colombian adults enrolled in a cardiovascular risk program between 2019 and 2023. Participants began with a median HbA1c of 5.9%, indicating borderline blood sugar control. Researchers found that those who engaged in more than 150 minutes of physical activity per week were four times more likely to reverse prediabetes, and return to normal glucose levels compared to less active individuals.

This finding highlights that even a moderate amount of exercise—just over two hours a week—can make a huge difference in preventing diabetes.


How does it help
Exercise improves the body’s ability to use insulin effectively, which helps control blood sugar levels. It also:

Increases glucose uptake by muscles
Enhances insulin sensitivity
Helps reduce body weight and body fat
Lowers blood pressure and cholesterol levels
Reduces inflammation and stress hormones

Which exercises should one do
A review of 24 studies involving nearly 2,000 prediabetic patients, found that combining moderate-intensity aerobic exercise with low-to-moderate resistance training, offers the best results for sugar control and weight loss. Aerobic (or cardio) exercises include brisk walking, jogging, cycling, swimming, or dancing, while resistance training involves weight lifting or bodyweight exercises like squats and push-ups.

How much exercise do you need
The study confirms that 150 minutes per week of moderate physical activity is a practical and achievable target. This can be broken down into:

30 minutes a day, 5 days a week, or
Shorter sessions spread throughout the week

Additional benefits
Exercise also helps reduce other risk factors associated with diabetes, such as:
Lowering total cholesterol and LDL (“bad” cholesterol)
Reducing body mass index (BMI) and body weight
Improving blood pressure control
Enhancing cardiovascular fitness and muscle strength

Who Benefits the Most
The benefits of exercise are especially significant for:
Older adults (over 60 years), who showed greater improvements in fasting blood glucose
Those with higher body mass index and HbA1c levels
People who combine exercise with healthy diet and weight management

References:
News-Medical.net, “Just 150 minutes of exercise a week could reverse prediabetes,” June 2025
Frontiers in Endocrinology, “Exercise training modalities in prediabetes: a systematic review and network meta-analysis,” 2024
PMC, “Consensus-Driven Development of an Exercise Base Manual,” 2025