Effect of increasing protein content at the evening meal followed by exercise on overnight nocturnal total energy expenditure, fat and carbohydrate oxidation in healthy young Indian men.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Indians are more prone to develop diabetes at a younger age, with normal BMI, and this might partly be due to their higher body fat content. Increase in fat mass in the body might be because of the reduction in fat oxidizing capability. Given the fact that Indians consume high carbohydrate diets, effective fat oxidation is likely to be delayed. Simple preventive weight loss strategies like exercise or change in diet regimen are needed to reduce their body fat. This study investigated the effect of exercise with a high protein dinner on overnight thermogenesis and fat oxidation.

METHODS AND STUDY DESIGN: Nine healthy normal subjects aged 18 - 30 years participated in randomised cross over study. They underwent 6 sessions of overnight whole body indirect calorimetry on separate nights with the following experimental conditions: (i) standard (habitual) meal (ii) standard meal with exercise (iii) 20% protein meal (iv) 20% protein meal with exercise (v) 50% protein meal and (vi) 50% protein meal with exercise. Oxygen consumption (VO2) and carbon dioxide production (VCO2) were measured overnight, from which energy expenditure, non-protein respiratory quotient (RQ), and fat oxidation were estimated.

RESULTS: The estimated marginal means of fat oxidation and energy expenditure were significantly different for protocols with exercise compared to those without exercise (p=0.02). There was no acute effect of protein on nocturnal fat or carbohydrate oxidation, with or without exercise.

CONCLUSIONS: Post-dinner exercise increase nocturnal fat oxidation and energy expenditure in young active Indian men.