Daily Step Count and Postprandial Fat Metabolism

• Published in: Medicine and science in sports and exercise 2021-02, Vol.53 (2), p.333-340
• Main Authors: BURTON, HEATH M., COYLE, EDWARD F.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 0195-9131; 1530-0315
• DOI: 10.1249/MSS.0000000000002486

INTRODUCTIONTwo benefits of acute exercise are the next day’s lowering of the postprandial plasma triglyceride response to a high fat meal and increased fat oxidation. However, if activity levels (daily steps) are very low, these acute adaptations to exercise don’t occur. This phenomenon has been termed ‘exercise resistance’. This study sought to systematically reduce daily step number and identify the range of step counts that elicit ‘exercise resistance’. METHODSTen participants completed three, five-day trials in a randomized, crossover design with differing levels of step reduction. Following two days of controlled activity, participants completed two days of LOW, LIMITED, or NORMAL steps (2,675 ± 314, 4,759 ± 276, and 8,481 ± 581 steps/day, respectively). Participants completed a 1-hour bout of running on the evening of the second day. High fat tolerance tests were performed on the following morning and postprandial responses were compared. RESULTSFollowing LOW and LIMITED, postprandial incremental area under the curve (AUC) of plasma triglyceride were elevated 22-23%, compared to NORMAL (p