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Downhill hiking improves low-grade inflammation, triglycerides, body weight and glucose tolerance.

ABSTRACT: Exercise is a well-established tool for cardiovascular risk reduction. Particularly eccentric exercise, which essentially means walking downwards could favour more people becoming physically active. With the present controlled study, we tested the hypothesis that eccentric exercise can improve insulin sensitivity, triglyceride handling, body mass index, glucose tolerance and inflammation. We allocated 127 healthy sedentary individuals to one of two groups: (i) an active group of 102 individuals walking downwards a predefined route three to five times per week over two months, covering a difference in altitude of 540 m; for the upward route a cable car was used, for which adherence was recorded electronically and (ii) a matched control group of 25 individuals who stayed sedentary. Fasting and postprandial metabolic profiles were obtained at baseline and after two months. Compared to baseline, eccentric exercise significantly improved HOMA insulin resistance (1.94 ± 1.65 vs. 1.71 ± 1.36 (µU^-1 ml) × ((mmol/l)^-122.5); p = 0.038) and resulted in a decrease in fasting glucose (97 ± 15 vs. 94 ± 9 mg dl^-1; p = 0.025) and glucose tolerance (238 ± 50 vs. 217 ± 47 mg dl^-1 h^-1; p < 0.001), whereas these parameters did not change significantly in the control group. Eccentric exercise significantly improved triglyceride tolerance (1923 ± 1295 vs. 1670 ± 1085 mg dl^-1 h^-1; p = 0.003), whereas triglyceride tolerance remained unchanged in the control group (p = 0.819). Furthermore, body mass index (27.7 ± 4.3 vs. 27.4 ± 4.3 kg m^-2; p = 0.003) and C-reactive protein (0.27 ± 0.42 vs. 0.23 ± 0.25 mg dl^-1; p = 0.031) were significantly lowered in the eccentric exercise group but not in the control group. Downhill walking, a type of exercise is a promising unusual exercise modality with favorable effects on body mass index, insulin action, on postprandial glucose and triglyceride handling and on C-reactive protein.ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00386854.

SUBMITTER: Drexel H

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8282605 | biostudies-literature |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Project description:ObjectivesObesity is associated with an increased risk of depression. Systemic low-grade inflammation, a plausible consequence of obesity, has also been linked to depression. However, the potential mediating effects of systemic low-grade inflammation on the association between excess body weight and specific symptom domains of depression remain uncertain. This study examined whether systemic low-grade inflammation mediated the associations of excess body weight (overweight and obesity) with subsequent overall, cognitive-affective, and somatic depressive symptoms.DesignThis study used a prospective cohort design.MethodsThe final analytical sample included 4,942 adults aged ≥50 years drawn from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA). Body mass index (BMI) and covariates were ascertained at baseline (wave 4, 2008/09). Continuous BMI scores were divided into four categories: 'normal weight' (18.5 ≤ BMI <25 kg/m2); 'overweight' (25 ≤ BMI <30 kg/m2); 'obesity' (BMI ≥30 kg/m2); in addition to 'excess body weight' ('overweight' and 'obesity' combined). Covariates included sociodemographic variables, behavioural factors, and chronic physical conditions. Serum concentrations of CRP were measured at wave 6 (2012/13). Depressive symptoms were assessed at baseline and ten years later (wave 9, 2018/19), using the 8-item Centre for Epidemiological Studies Depression (CES-D) Scale. Two symptom domains were constructed, distinguishing between cognitive-affective (depressed mood, loneliness, sadness, enjoyment in life, and happiness) and somatic (sleep problems, low energy levels, and fatigue) symptoms. Mediation analyses were performed to examine whether CRP statistically mediated the associations between BMI categories and depressive symptoms.ResultsIn multivariable-adjusted analyses, excess body weight was associated with elevated somatic (OR = 1.231, 95% CI: 1.029, 1.473), but not cognitive-affective or overall depressive symptoms at follow-up. Higher CRP was associated with elevated somatic (OR = 1.156, 95% CI: 1.061, 1.259), but not cognitive-affective or overall depressive symptoms. CRP acted as a partial mediator (14.92%) of the association between excess body weight and elevated somatic, but not cognitive-affective, or overall depressive symptoms.ConclusionSystemic low-grade inflammation may partially explain the association of excess body weight with somatic depressive symptoms, but not the associations with cognitive-affective or overall depressive symptoms.

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Downhill hiking improves low-grade inflammation, triglycerides, body weight and glucose tolerance.

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