Sugar-Sweetened Beverages And Short-duration Exercise On Glycemic Response And Subjective Appetite In Young Boys

Abstract

PURPOSE: Sugar-sweetened beverage consumption is thought to be a contributor to weight gain through its effects on the control of food intake and glucose homeostasis. It has been suggested that energy from sugar-sweetened caloric beverages bypass physiologic systems regulating food intake, leading to weight gain. Despite a lack of reported evaluation, short-duration exercise is promoted in schools as a means of achieving energy balance and glucose homeostasis. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the interaction between sugar-sweetened beverage consumption and short-duration exercise on glycemic response and subjective appetite in young boys. METHODS: Eight normal weight boys (age: 11.25 ± 0.7 years) consumed isovolumetric amounts (240mL) of either a commercial fruit drink or 1% chocolate milk, matched for available carbohydrates (25g) two hours after a standardized breakfast. The boys then exercised on a motorized treadmill at their ventilatory threshold or sat quietly for 15min, followed by 45min of quiet sitting. Subjective appetite and capillary blood glucose were assessed at baseline, and at 15 and 60min during the test condition. RESULTS: There was a beverage (fruit drink vs. chocolate milk) x test condition (exercise vs. rest) x time (0, 15, 60min) interaction for blood glucose response (p<0.01). There was a main effect of beverage on glucose response (p<0.01). Exercise increased subjective average appetite to 60min compared to quiet sitting (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Fifteen minutes of moderate-intensity exercise attenuates the rise in blood glucose following sugar-sweetened beverage consumption. Chocolate milk has the lowest glycemic response, which may be due its milk protein and fat content and effect on gut hormone release. Further investigations are required to determine whether increased subjective appetite following short duration exercise would result in greater next-meal food intake.