Prediabetes, a state between normoglycemia and diabetes, is increasingly affecting population health; thus, it should not be overlooked. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to explore the efficacy of aerobic exercise on blood glucose indicators among those with prediabetes. Five databases, including PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and CINAHL, were searched up to September 2024 to identify randomized controlled trials measuring the effect of aerobic exercise on blood glucose levels among individuals with prediabetes. Data on fasting blood glucose (FBG), 2-h postprandial plasma glucose (2hPG), and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) were extracted. Subgroup analyses were conducted based on intervention duration, weekly exercise duration, and volume. In total, 2518 relevant records were initially retrieved, and 16 studies were included in this systematic review, with 14 providing sufficient data for meta-analysis. Compared to the control group, the weighted mean difference (MD) for FBG, 2hPG, and HbA1c was −1.33 (95%CI: −1.87, −0.89), −1.00 (95%CI: −1.60, −0.39), and −1.05 (95%CI: −1.49, −0.61), respectively. Subgroup analysis showed that pooled effect size for FBG, 2hPG, and HbA1c was greater in the subgroup subjected to ≥48 weeks of intervention compared to the subgroup subjected to ≤24 weeks of intervention, although only the difference in FBG was significant (p < 0.05). Weekly exercise longer than 180 min/week led to greater reductions in FBG, 2hPG, and HbA1c compared to weekly exercise shorter than 150 min/week, and only differences in 2hPG were not significant (p > 0.05). Total weekly exercise of 1314–1323 MET·min/week led to greater reductions in FBG and HbA1c levels compared to 975–1080 MET·min/week (p > 0.05). Aerobic exercise effectively decreases FBG, 2hPG, and HbA1c and controls blood glucose levels. The volume and duration of aerobic exercise are important factors affecting the reduction in blood glucose levels, exhibiting a positive correlation within a specific range. Aerobic exercise can serve as a viable therapeutic approach for reducing the risk of diabetes among individuals with prediabetes.

Background: Iodine deficiency remains a significant public health concern worldwide and may contribute to metabolic disorders beyond thyroid dysfunction. Emerging evidence suggests that nutritional factors, such as vitamin A, may influence the health effects of iodine deficiency, yet population-based evidence remains limited. This study aimed to investigate the associations between iodine deficiency and cardiometabolic risk factors (blood pressure, glucose, and lipids) and to explore whether these associations are different between adults with different vitamin A levels. Methods: A total of 4723 adults (1895 males and 2828 females) were included in this cross-sectional study. Participants were categorized based on iodine status and serum vitamin A levels. Demographic, anthropometric, and biochemical indicators were assessed through standardized examinations. Multivariable linear and logistic regression models were used to evaluate the associations between iodine deficiency and continuous (systolic blood pressure [SBP], diastolic blood pressure [DBP], fasting blood glucose [FBG], total cholesterol [TC], high-density lipoprotein cholesterol [HDL-C], low-density lipoprotein cholesterol [LDL-C], triglycerides [TGs]) and binary outcomes (hypertension, hyperglycemia, and dyslipidemia), with stratified analyses by gender, age, and vitamin A status. Results: Iodine deficiency was significantly associated with higher SBP (β = 2.89, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.00–3.77), DBP (β = 1.08, 0.55–1.60), FBG (β = 0.06, 0.01–0.12) and TC (β = 0.05, 0.00–0.10). The odds of hypertension (odds ratio [OR] = 1.41, 1.23–1.63) and hyperglycemia (OR = 1.39, 1.17–1.65) were also increased. Stratified analyses indicated that these associations were more pronounced among participants with vitamin A deficiency than those with sufficient vitamin A. In this subgroup, iodine deficiency was positively associated with FBG (β = 0.14, 0.03–0.25), TC (β = 0.08, 0.00–0.15), and hyperglycemia (OR = 1.35, 1.04–1.76). Conclusions: The findings suggest that the association of iodine deficiency with adverse cardiometabolic risk factors may be stronger in individuals with concurrent vitamin A deficiency. This highlights the potential value of integrated nutritional assessments and supports the need for longitudinal studies to confirm these interactions and assess the effects of combined micronutrient supplementation.

Background: Adolescent obesity and depressive symptoms have increased concurrently, often presenting as co-occurrence. However, evidence on the timing of physical activity (e.g., weekday vs. weekend) and adherence to planetary health diets remains limited. This study examined these associations among adolescents in Zhejiang Province from 2022 to 2024. Methods: A total of 261,495 adolescents aged 11–18 years were included. Physical activity (PA) and dietary behaviors were assessed through the China Common Disease and Risk Factor Surveillance among Students questionnaire (reliability: Cronbach’s α = 0.84, validity: RMSEA = 0.07). The plant-based Planetary Health Diet Index (PHDI-green) adherence was defined as consuming at least one daily serving of both vegetables and fruits. Depressive symptoms were measured using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression (CES-D) scale, and co-occurrence was defined as the coexistence of obesity and depressive symptoms. Temporal trends were tested using χ² tests. Sex-stratified logistic regression, restricted cubic spline analyses, and population attributable fraction (PAF) analyses were applied. Results: From 2022 to 2024, obesity (p for trend = 0.013) and depressive symptoms (p for trend = 0.003) increased significantly, while co-occurrence remained stable (p for trend = 0.058). Boys had higher obesity and co-occurrence, whereas girls showed higher depressive symptoms (all p < 0.001). Higher weekly PA, greater weekend PA and PHDI-green adherence were associated with reduced odds of obesity in both sexes (all p < 0.001). Weekend PA showed stronger associations with depressive symptoms among girls, while PHDI-green showed stronger inverse associations in boys (p for sex difference < 0.001). PAF analyses suggested that low weekend PA accounted for substantial proportions of cases (girls: obesity 10.17%, depressive symptoms 31.30%, co-occurrence 35.64%). Joint adherence to adequate PA and PHDI-green conferred the lowest odds of co-occurrence (boys: OR = 0.40, 95% CI: 0.34–0.46; girls: OR = 0.33, 95% CI: 0.26–0.43). Conclusions: Adherence to the Planetary Health Diet may be particularly relevant for boys, whereas PA—especially weekend PA—may be more strongly associated with health outcomes among girls. These findings suggest the importance of sex-specific and time-targeted behavioral strategies for obesity, depressive symptoms, and their co-occurrence in adolescents.