title: Effect of short-term reduced physical activity on cardiovascular risk factors in active lean and overweight middle-aged men.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  An experimental reduction in physical activity is a useful tool for exploring the health benefits of physical activity. This study investigated whether similarly-active overweight men show a more pronounced response to reduced physical activity than their lean counterparts because of their atherogenic phenotype (i.e., greater abdominal adiposity).
  
  
  METHODS
  From 115 active men aged 45-64years, we recruited nine active lean (waist circumference <84cm) and nine active central overweight men (waist circumference >94cm). Fasting blood samples and responses to an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) were measured at baseline and following one week of reduced physical activity to simulate sedentary levels (removal of structured exercise and reduced habitual physical activity).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Glucose and insulin areas under the curve (AUC), CRP, ALT, TAG were all higher in the overweight group and remained so throughout (P<0.05). Insulin and glucose AUC responses to an OGTT, as well as fasting triglyceride (TAG) concentrations, increased in both groups as a result of the intervention (P<0.05). There was no change in interleukin-6, C-reactive protein (CRP), Tumour Necrosis Factor-α, soluble intracellular adhesion molecule 1, or alanine transaminase (ALT).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  One-week of reduced activity similarly-impaired glucose control and increased fasting TAG in both lean and overweight men. Importantly, in spite of very similar (high) levels of habitual physical activity, central overweight men displayed a poorer profile for various inflammatory and metabolic outcomes (CRP, ALT, TAG, glucose AUC and insulin AUC).
authors.affiliation: Department for Health, University of Bath, Bath, BA2 7AY, UK.
authors.forename: Natalie C
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Dixon
authors.forename: Tina L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Hurst
authors.forename: Duncan C S
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Talbot
authors.forename: Rex M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Tyrrell
authors.forename: Dylan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Thompson
mesh_terms: D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D019540:Area Under Curve; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000097:blood; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D050177:Overweight / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000097:blood; D055105:Waist Circumference / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D007328:Insulin; D015850:Interleukin-6; D014280:Triglycerides; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D000410:Alanine Transaminase