Interval training could prove to be more beneficial for glucose control in sufferers of type 2 diabetes than continuous amounts of exercise, according to the results of a new study.

Led by specialist Kristian Karstoft MD at the University of Copenhagen, Denmark, the research has found that four months of interval-walking training (IWT) conducted as five hour-long sessions each week proved more effective for maintaining secretion when compared to workouts focusing on continued, bulk exercise periods through continuous walking training (CWT).

Type 2 diabetes occurs when the body doesn't produce enough insulin to function properly, or when the body’s cells don't react to insulin.

Research suggests that by 2030, 4.6 million people in England alone will be suffering from diabetes, with 90 per cent of those affected having type 2 diabetes.

“These results suggest that training with alternating intensity, and not just training volume and mean intensity, is a key determinant of changes in whole body glucose disposal in individuals with type 2 diabetes,” Karstoft said of the findings.

Despite the findings, experts have urged for more research to be conducted to establish if the beneficial effects of IWT can be maintained in the long term, to potentially justify the clinical utility of interval training for individuals suffering from the illness.

Physical activity is increasingly being viewed as a potential crisis solver, both in terms of tackling obesity – which can lead to the development of diabetes – as well as helping to treat the condition and its symptoms as it develops.

One body of research published last month has found that high intensity interval workouts could help to solve a number of health problems for elderly people, with the findings suggesting that six-second bursts of exercise could have a significant impact on their health.

Elsewhere, experts – including Health Club Management editor Kate Cracknell – have called for a change in perception to help tackle the growing obesity crisis and its subsequent impact on our health.