Accumulating short bouts of brisk walking reduces postprandial plasma triacylglycerol concentrations and resting blood pressure in healthy young men.

BACKGROUND

Physical activity recommendations promote the accumulation of aerobic activity in bouts of >or=10 min. It is important to determine whether shorter bouts of activity can influence health.

OBJECTIVE

We compared the effects of accumulating ten 3-min bouts of brisk walking with those of one 30-min bout of brisk walking on postprandial plasma triacylglycerol concentrations and resting blood pressure.

DESIGN

Fifteen healthy young men completed three 2-d trials >or=1 wk apart in a randomized, repeated-measures design. On day 1, subjects rested (no exercise) or walked briskly in either ten 3-min bouts (30 min rest between each) or one 30-min bout (gross energy expenditure: 1.10 MJ/30 min). On day 2, subjects rested and consumed high-fat test meals for breakfast and lunch.

RESULTS

On day 2 area under the plasma triacylglycerol concentration over time curve was 16% lower on the accumulated and continuous brisk walking trials than on the control trial (x +/- SEM: 9.98 +/- 0.67 compared with 9.99 +/- 0.76 compared with 11.90 +/- 1.02 mmol x 7h/L, respectively; P = 0.005, one-factor ANOVA). Resting systolic blood pressure was 6-7% lower throughout day 2 on the accumulated and continuous trials than on the control trial (109 +/- 1 compared with 110 +/- 1 compared with 117 +/- 2 mm Hg, respectively; P < 0.0005).

CONCLUSION

Accumulating 30 min of brisk walking in short (3-min) bouts is equally effective in reducing postprandial lipemia and systolic blood pressure as is one continuous 30-min bout.