The glycaemic response to morning fasted resistance exercise is more consistent than the response to afternoon fed resistance exercise for adults with type 1 diabetes: a randomised crossover comparison – published online 14/03/2026

Reid D. McClure, Alice L. J. Carr, Normand G. Boulé, Jane E. Yardley

For adults with type 1 diabetes, resistance exercise can cause blood glucose levels to change unpredictably, creating significant challenges for blood glucose management. This challenge has important effects on exercise participation, as loss of agency over diabetes management and fear of low blood glucose levels are the primary diabetes-related barriers to exercise for adults with type 1 diabetes. In this issue, McClure et al (https://doi.org/10.1007/s00125-026-06713-6) compare the blood glucose response to resistance exercise when performed in the morning before eating vs in the afternoon after eating. They report that the response to fasted morning resistance exercise is more consistent. This finding adds to existing evidence that fasted exercise raises glucose levels slightly, while fed exercise lowers them. The authors conclude that these findings suggest morning fasted resistance exercise may be a preferable strategy for adults with type 1 diabetes who fear hypoglycaemia, as the glycaemic response is more consistent and the risk of hypoglycaemia is lower.