Journal article
Downhill hiking improves low-grade inflammation, triglycerides, body weight and glucose tolerance
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS, v 11(1), 14503
15 Jul 2021
PMID: 34267272
Featured in Collection : UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel
Abstract
Exercise is a well-established tool for cardiovascular risk reduction. Particularly eccentric exercise, which essentially means walking downwards could favour more people becoming physically active. With the present controlled study, we tested the hypothesis that eccentric exercise can improve insulin sensitivity, triglyceride handling, body mass index, glucose tolerance and inflammation. We allocated 127 healthy sedentary individuals to one of two groups: (i) an active group of 102 individuals walking downwards a predefined route three to five times per week over two months, covering a difference in altitude of 540 m; for the upward route a cable car was used, for which adherence was recorded electronically and (ii) a matched control group of 25 individuals who stayed sedentary. Fasting and postprandial metabolic profiles were obtained at baseline and after two months. Compared to baseline, eccentric exercise significantly improved HOMA insulin resistance (1.941.65 vs. 1.71 +/- 1.36 (mu U-1 ml) x ((mmol/l)(-1)22.5); p=0.038) and resulted in a decrease in fasting glucose (97 +/- 15 vs. 94 +/- 9 mg dl(-1); p=0.025) and glucose tolerance (238 +/- 50 vs. 217 +/- 47 mg dl(-1) h(-1); p<0.001), whereas these parameters did not change significantly in the control group. Eccentric exercise significantly improved triglyceride tolerance (1923 +/- 1295 vs. 1670 +/- 1085 mg dl(-1) h(-1); p=0.003), whereas triglyceride tolerance remained unchanged in the control group (p=0.819). Furthermore, body mass index (27.7 +/- 4.3 vs. 27.4 +/- 4.3 kg m(-2); p=0.003) and C-reactive protein (0.27 +/- 0.42 vs. 0.23 +/- 0.25 mg dl(-1); p=0.031) were significantly lowered in the eccentric exercise group but not in the control group. Downhill walking, a type of exercise is a promising unusual exercise modality with favorable effects on body mass index, insulin action, on postprandial glucose and triglyceride handling and on C-reactive protein. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00386854.
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Details
- Title
- Downhill hiking improves low-grade inflammation, triglycerides, body weight and glucose tolerance
- Publication Details
- SCIENTIFIC REPORTS, v 11(1), 14503
- Publisher
- NATURE PORTFOLIO; BERLIN
- Grant note
- This work has been supported by the Jubilaumsfonds of the Austrian National Bank (project number 14159).
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Drexel University
- Web of Science ID
- WOS:000675827900002
- Scopus ID
- 2-s2.0-85110563927
- Other Identifier
- 991021860760904721
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- Collaboration types
- International collaboration
- Web of Science research areas
- Sport Sciences