Can physical activity and sleep patterns influence both diabetes onset and long-term survival? A study published in Diabetology & Metabolic Syndrome examined these relationships in 11,128 adults aged 20 years and older using cross-sectional methods and causal analysis.

Physical activity and sleep quality were classified according to defined indicators, and their relationships with diabetes status were assessed using binary and multinomial logistic regression, Cox proportional hazards regression, and subgroup analyses. Two-sample Mendelian randomization evaluated physical activity, four sleep patterns, and diabetes.

Higher physical activity and better sleep quality were significantly associated with reduced diabetes risk (P < 0.05). Among individuals with diabetes, physical inactivity was associated with increased mortality risk (hazard ratio 1.83; 95% confidence interval 1.42-2.35; P < 0.001). Age, biological sex, and body mass index differed significantly across diabetes status (P < 0.001). Mendelian randomization described causal relationships between physical activity, four sleep patterns, and diabetes, and reported a significant association involving sleep apnea and diabetes risk (OR > 1; P = 0.018).

These findings indicate that physical activity and sleep quality were associated with diabetes status and survival in this adult population.