Short, Simple, Exercise to Improve Circadian Dependent Postprandial Glycemic Responses

Effects of Stair Stepping on Late Day Postprandial Glycemia

The goal of this clinical trial is to test whether one minute of stair stepping at a comfortable pace can reduce blood sugar after meals. The main objectives of the study are:

Compare continuously measured post-meal glucose after stair-stepping to control condition Compare continuously measured post-meal glucose after stair-stepping between meals Assess interaction between condition and meal to determine if the effect of stair-stepping on post-meal glucose depends on meal

Participants will be in the study for 10 days and will be asked to:

Wear a continuous glucose monitor over the course of the study Perform either one minute of comfortable pace stair stepping 15 min after each meal OR no exercise 1 hour after eating a meal on alternating days Perform a dietary recall every two days Perform no exercise within one hour after each meal on any day during the study Consume no calories within one hour after each meal during the study

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Postprandial Hyperglycemia; Postprandial Glycemic Response; Postprandial Insulin
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: Stair Stepping; Behavioral: No exercise control

Detailed Description

After being informed about the study and potential risks, all participants giving written informed consent will undergo a screening to determine eligibility for study entry. At day 1, patients who meet the eligibility requirements will be randomly assigned to Arm 1(stair stepping day followed by no exercise day sequence) or Arm 2(no exercise day followed by stair stepping day sequence). At this time participants will also be familiarized with the continuous glucose (i.e., blood sugar) monitor they will wear for ten days, be instructed how to fill out a food log every day and determine a comfortable stair stepping pace. On day 10 participants will return to the lab for sensor removal and transmitter return.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 35
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • California
    • San Diego, California, United States, 92182
      • San Diego State University

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 65 years (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• between 18 and 65 years
• able to climb and descend stairs
• access to stairs

Exclusion Criteria:

• glycemic medications that vary in dosage
• dosage from meal to meal or day to day (eg insulin titrated to meal size or carbohydrate content)

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Prevention
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Crossover Assignment
• Masking: Single

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Stair-Stepping then Control; Participants start with stair-stepping 15 minutes after meals on day 1 followed by no exercise on day 2. Sequence continues throughout the 10 days.	Behavioral: Stair Stepping; 1 minute of stair-stepping (30 seconds up, 30 seconds down) at a self-selected pace identified on day 0 starting 15 minutes after each meal; Behavioral: No exercise control; Participants avoid exercise within 1 hour of eating a meal
Experimental: Control then Stair-Stepping; Participants start with no exercise on day 1 followed by stair-stepping 15 minutes after meals on day 2. Sequence continues throughout the 10 days.	Behavioral: Stair Stepping; 1 minute of stair-stepping (30 seconds up, 30 seconds down) at a self-selected pace identified on day 0 starting 15 minutes after each meal; Behavioral: No exercise control; Participants avoid exercise within 1 hour of eating a meal

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Postprandial Blood Glucose	mg/dL	continuous measure from meal consumption up to 1 hour post meal

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: San Diego State University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): February 20, 2023
• Primary Completion (Actual): August 7, 2023
• Study Completion (Actual): August 14, 2023

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: March 13, 2023
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 13, 2023
• First Posted (Actual): March 24, 2023

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): July 14, 2025
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: July 9, 2025
• Last Verified: July 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Metabolic Diseases; Glucose Metabolism Disorders; Hyperglycemia
• Other Study ID Numbers: HS-2023-0003

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

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