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Different patterns of brisk walking are equally effective in decreasing postprandial lipaemia

International Journal of Obesity volume 24, pages 1303–1309 (2000)Cite this article

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effects of different patterns of brisk walking on day-long plasma triacylglycerol concentrations in sedentary adults.

DESIGN: A three-trial, repeated measures design in which subjects were studied in the fasted state and throughout a day during which they consumed three standardized, mixed meals. On different occasions, subjects undertook no exercise (control), walked briskly for 10 min before each meal (short walks) or walked briskly for 30 min before breakfast (long walk).

SUBJECTS: Seven postmenopausal sedentary women and three sedentary men aged between 34 and 66 y, with body mass index between 24 and 35 kg/m2.

MEASUREMENTS: Plasma concentrations of triacylglycerol, non-esterified fatty acids, glucose and insulin, metabolic rate and whole-body substrate oxidation in the fasted state and at hourly intervals for 3 h after each meal.

RESULTS: Postprandial plasma triacylglycerol concentrations were lower (P=0.009) during the walking trials than during the control trial (average values: control 2.08±0.28 mmol/l; short walks 1.83±0.22 mmol/l; long walk 1.84±0.22 mmol/l (mean±s.e.) but did not differ between the two patterns of walking. The difference between control and walking trials increased as successive meals were consumed (interaction of trial×meal P=0.03). Plasma triacylglycerol concentration increased during the 3 h after breakfast, changed little after lunch and decreased after the evening meal (interaction of meal×time P=0.001). When both walking trials were treated as one condition, walking increased postprandial fat oxidation (average values: control, 0.066±0.009 g/min; walking 0.074± 0.008 g/min; P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONS: Thirty minutes of brisk walking, undertaken in one session or accumulated throughout a day, reduces postprandial plasma triacylglycerol concentrations and increases fat oxidation.

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Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank Dr A Mardhavan and Dr S Friers from Whiteabbey Hospital for assistance with venous cannulation, Dr M O'Hare and Ms B McKibben from the Institute of Clinical Science at the Queens University of Belfast for performing insulin analyses, Dr John Brown from the University of Ulster at Jordanstown for help with plasma lipid analyses and Mr T Ross for help with data collection.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Sport and Exercise Sciences, University of Ulster at Jordanstown, Northern Ireland, UK

    MH Murphy

  2. School of Sport, Performing Arts and Leisure, University of Wolverhampton, Wolverhampton, UK

    AM Nevill

  3. Human Muscle Metabolism Research Group, Loughborough University, Leicestershire, UK

    AE Hardman

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  1. MH Murphy
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  2. AM Nevill
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  3. AE Hardman
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Correspondence to AE Hardman.

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Murphy, M., Nevill, A. & Hardman, A. Different patterns of brisk walking are equally effective in decreasing postprandial lipaemia. Int J Obes 24, 1303–1309 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ijo.0801399

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