Abstract
There is scant information on how a time lag between the cessation of eating and commencement of physical activity affects postprandial glycaemia. Starting at baseline (t = 0), participants ingested white bread containing 50 g of available carbohydrates within 10 min. Using two crossover conditions, we tested the effect over 2 h on postprandial glycaemia of participants undertaking light activity at 15 or 45 min following baseline and compared it with a sedentary control condition. The activity involved cycling on a stationary ergometer for 10 min at 40 revolutions per min with zero resistance. Seventy-eight healthy adults were randomized to the 15 or 45 min activity arm and then randomised to the order in which they undertook the active and sedentary conditions. Cycling 45 min after baseline changed the course of the blood glucose response (likelihood ratio chi square = 31.47, p < 0.01) and reduced mean blood glucose by 0.44 mmol/L (95% confidence interval 0.14 to 0.74) at 60 min when compared with the sedentary control. No differences in postprandial blood glucose response were observed when cycling started 15 min after baseline compared with the sedentary control. Undertaking activity after waiting for 30 min following eating might be optimal in modifying the glycaemic response.
Highlights
Poor blood glucose control is a risk factor for the development of type 2 diabetes [1] and cardiovascular disease [2,3,4], even when at subclinical levels [5,6]
Our results indicate the potential of physical activity to reduce blood glucose concentrations when they are high, including the postprandial period
In a small study of two people, dampening of postprandial glycaemia and weight loss over one month was greater when walking for 30 min starting immediately after lunch and dinner compared with when an equivalent amount of exercise was started one hour after meals [49]
Summary
Poor blood glucose control is a risk factor for the development of type 2 diabetes [1] and cardiovascular disease [2,3,4], even when at subclinical levels [5,6]. Among healthy women, slow walking for min started immediately following a meal resulted in a 1.5 mmol/L reduction in blood glucose concentration at the end of the active period compared with a sedentary arm [22]. There may be a number of reasons for the discrepant findings, including differences in participant demographics and study design, but of note, the sample numbers were small Given this heterogeneity in findings we were interested in exploring whether low intensity activity over a short duration could influence postprandial glycaemia of a larger group. The primary aim of this experiment was to compare the effects on postprandial blood glucose concentration of undertaking activity at two timepoints commenced either 15 min (during glucose absorption) or 45 min (coinciding with peak glucose) after the consumption of a meal in comparison to a sedentary control. The activity chosen was a cycle ergometer set at zero resistance, in order that anyone could undertake the activity regardless of fitness, and for a duration of 10 min to ensure that in practice people would be more likely to have the time to commit to the activity after meals over months and years compared with a longer duration
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