Upper-body High-intensity Interval Training and Mixed Meal Responses

The Effect of Upper-body High-intensity Interval Exercise vs. Moderate-intensity Continuous Exercise on Postprandial Metabolism

Cycling and running-based high-intensity interval training are well-established to improve a variety of health outcomes. However, the efficacy of upper-body high-intensity interval training, vital for individuals with lower-body impairments, has yet to be well-characterized. The purpose of this study is to compare the effect of a single bout of upper-body high-intensity interval exercise (HIIE) in comparison to traditional moderate-intensity continuous exercise (MICE) on the blood response (e.g. glucose, insulin, fats) following a meal.

This study is recruiting able-bodied adults (aged 18-65 years). Participants will need to attend the laboratory at the University of Bath for two preliminary sessions, and three main study trials.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: High-Intensity Interval Training
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: High-intensity interval training; Other: Moderate-intensity continuos training

Detailed Description

The aim of this research is to determine the metabolic responses to a mixed-meal tolerance test following an acute bout of HIIE and an energy-matched MICE bout in able-bodied persons. The hypothesis is that HIIE and MICE will be more effective at reducing the total triglyceride responses compared to a resting control condition.

Preliminary measurements:

Preliminary testing will include measurements of weight and height. There will also be an assessment of resting metabolic rate and maximal exercise capacity. On a second visit, a HIIE familiarisation session will be performed to determine total energy expenditure of the session. All of the exercise protocols will take place on an arm crank ergometer at the University of Bath.

Main trial days:

Before all main trials, participants will be asked to refrain from performing any strenuous physical activity in the 48-h prior (i.e. day 0 and 1) and consuming alcohol/caffeine in the 24-h prior (i.e. day 1). On day 1, participants will be asked to record/replicate their diet using a weighed food-diary. Participants will be asked perform exercise (HIIE and MICE only) at 18:00 on day 1, having consumed no food (other than plain water) from 14:00. They will be given a standardised dinner to eat at 20:00, and asked to avoid the ingestion of any further food (other than plain water) for the rest of the evening.

On day 2 and upon arrival to the laboratory, a cannula will be inserted into a vein, and a baseline blood sample and expired air sample will be taken. The participant will then be asked to consume a smoothie, consisting of peanut butter, banana, coconut oil, sugar, and chocolate-flavoured whey protein powder. The meal should be consumed within 10 minutes and blood samples will be taken from the cannula at 15, 30, 45 60, and 90 minutes and then at every hour for 5 hours after consumption of the meal to monitor changes in metabolic markers. Expired gas samples will also be taken hourly and indirect calorimetry will be used to estimate relative fat and carbohydrate metabolism in response to the meal.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 11
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United Kingdom
  • Bath, United Kingdom, BA2 7AY
    • Department for Health

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 65 years (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Non-smoker
• No history of cardiovascular, metabolic, or neuromuscular disease

Exclusion Criteria:

• Individuals with a nut allergy

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Basic Science
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Crossover Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

3

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
No Intervention: Control; No exercise
Experimental: High-intensity interval exercise; 10 x 60 s intervals at 80% peak power output (interspersed with 60 s recovery intervals at 10% peak power output)	Other: High-intensity interval training; Arm-cranking exercise
Experimental: Moderate-intensity continous exercise; 50% peak power output (duration determined to elicit same energy expenditure as high-intensity interval exercise condition)	Other: Moderate-intensity continuos training; Arm-cranking exercise

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Postprandial triglyceride concentrations	Postprandial triglyceride concentrations in serum samples	5 hours

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Postprandial glucose concentrations	Postprandial glucose concentrations in serum samples	5 hours
Postprandial insulin concentrations	Postprandial insulin concentrations in serum samples	5 hours
Postprandial substrate oxidation	Postprandial substrate oxidation determined by indirect calorimetry	5 hours
Rating of Perceived Exertion	Global, central, and local rating of perceived exertion (6-20) during exercise	HIIE: End of Warm-Up, 8 min, 12 min, 16 min, 20 min, 24 min. MICE: 0, 20, 40, 60, 80, 100% through exercise session (exact time points dependent on exercise time for each participant)
Heart Rate	Heart rate during exercise	HIIE: End of Warm-Up, 8 min, 12 min, 16 min, 20 min, 24 min. MICE: 0, 20, 40, 60, 80, 100% through exercise session (exact time points dependent on exercise time for each participant)
Affect	Affect measured through the Feeling Scale (FS) during exercise. FS is a one item scale ranging from +5 ("Very good") to -5 ("Very bad").	HIIE: End of Warm-Up, 8 min, 12 min, 16 min, 20 min, 24 min. MICE: 0, 20, 40, 60, 80, 100% through exercise session (exact time points dependent on exercise time for each participant)
Exercise Enjoyment	Enjoyment measured by the Physical Activity Enjoyment Scale (PACES). PACES is a 17-item scale, with each item scored from 1 to 7. The total score will be calculated.	30 min post-exercise
Self-efficacy	Confidence in ability to perform exercise performed during trial in the next 4 weeks measured using a 5-item scale ranging from 0% ("Not at all" to 100% ("Extremely confident").	30 min post-exercise

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University of Bath
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: James Bilzon, University of Bath

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): October 21, 2019
• Primary Completion (Actual): January 1, 2021
• Study Completion (Actual): January 1, 2021

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: February 10, 2020
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: February 18, 2020
• First Posted (Actual): February 20, 2020

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): July 27, 2022
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: July 26, 2022
• Last Verified: July 1, 2022

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: postprandial metabolism
• Other Study ID Numbers: EP 18/19 087

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No
• product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.: No