Thermic and Glycemic Responses to Bread and Pasta Meals with and Without Prior Low-Intensity Exercise

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to investigate thermic and glycemic responses to conventional meals with and without prior low-intensity exercise. Fourteen healthy volunteers (7 men, 7 women) undertook 4 treatments, 2 bread and 2 pasta meals, either with (E) or without (NE) prior exercise (a 45-min treadmill walk). Meals provided 58 g carbohydrate and 2360 kJ. Energy expenditure and blood-glucose concentrations were measured before and for 3 h after the meals. The thermic effect of food (TEF) was lower after pasta (121 +/- 32 kJ/3 h) than after bread (154 +/- 62 kJ/3 h), P=0.009, but was not affected by exercise. Glycemic responses were lower after E (155 +/- 113 mmol x L(-1) x 3 h(-1)) than NE (199 +/- 97 mmol x L(-1) x 3 h(-1)) after pasta (P=0.020) but not after bread. TEF was lower after pasta than bread but was not affected by prior low-intensity exercise. The effects of exercise on glycemic responses to meals were inconsistent.