Multiple Short Bouts of Walking Activity Attenuate Glucose Response in Obese Women.

BACKGROUND: We sought to determine the effect of multiple walking breaks from sedentary behavior (SED) on glucose responses in sedentary obese women.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ten women [aged = 36 (5) y, body mass index = 38.0 (1.6) kg/m2 , body fat = 49.6 (1.4)%] completed 3 conditions (48-h "washout" in-between conditions) following a standardized meal in random order: 4-hour SED, 4-hour SED with 2 minutes of moderate-intensity walking every 30 minutes (SED + 2 min), and 4-hour SED with 5 minutes of moderate-intensity walking every 30 minutes (SED + 5 min). Measurements included continuous interstitial glucose concentration monitoring immediately before and during standardized conditions and accelerometry for physical activity patterns during and in-between the standardized conditions. Repeated-measures 1-way analyses of variance (α = .05) with Bonferroni correction for post hoc comparisons were performed. Effect sizes (d [95% confidence interval]) were calculated as mean difference from SED/pooled standard deviation.

RESULTS: Sedentary time was similar in the 48 hours preceding each condition (P > .05). By design, sedentary time was different between conditions (P < .001). Compared with SED, 2-hour postprandial glucose positive incremental area under the curve was lower for SED + 5 minutes (P = .005; d = - 0.57 [-1.48, 0.40]), but not for SED + 2 minutes (P = .086; d = - 0.71 [-1.63, 0.27]). Four-hour postprandial glucose area under the curve was similar between conditions (P > .05).

CONCLUSION: In sedentary obese women, 5 minutes of moderate-intensity walking breaks from SED each 30 minutes attenuate 2-hour postprandial glucose excursions.