Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The effects of 24 weeks of moderate- or high-intensity exercise on insulin resistance

  • Original Article
  • Published:
European Journal of Applied Physiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This study was designed to investigate the effect of exercise intensity on insulin resistance by comparing moderate- and high-intensity interventions of equal energy cost. Maximum oxygen consumption (VO2max), insulin, glucose and triglycerides were measured in 64 sedentary men before random allocation to a non-exercise control group, a moderate-intensity exercise group (three 400-kcal sessions per week at 60% of VO2max) or a high-intensity exercise group (three 400-kcal sessions per week at 80% of VO2max). An insulin sensitivity score was derived from fasting concentrations of insulin and triglycerides, and insulin resistance was assessed using the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR). Data were available for 36 men who finished the study. After 24 weeks, insulin concentration decreased by 2.54±4.09 and 2.37±3.35 mU l−1, insulin sensitivity score increased by 0.91±1.52 and 0.79±1.37, and HOMA-IR decreased by −0.6±0.8 and −0.5±0.8 in the moderate- and high-intensity exercise groups, respectively. When data from the exercise groups were combined, one-way analysis of variance with one-tailed post hoc comparisons indicated that these changes were significantly greater than those observed in the control group (all P<0.05). Twenty-four week changes in insulin concentration, insulin sensitivity score and HOMA-IR were not significantly different between the exercise groups. These data suggest that exercise training is accompanied by a significant reduction in insulin resistance, as indicated by well-validated surrogate measures. These data also suggest that moderate-intensity exercise is as effective as high-intensity exercise when 400 kcal are expended per session.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Ainsworth BE, Haskell WL, Whitt MC, Irwin ML, Swartz AM, Strath SJ, O’Brien WL, Bassett DR Jr, Schmitz KH, Emplaincourt PO, Jacobs DR, Jr, Leon AS (2000) Compendium of physical activities: an update of activity codes and MET intensities. Med Sci Sports Exerc 32:S498–S504

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Albright A, Franz M, Hornsby G, Kriska A, Marrero D, Ullrich I, Verity LS (2000) American college of sports medicine position stand. Exercise and type 2 diabetes. Med Sci Sports Exerc 32:1345–1360

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • American Diabetes Association (2002) The prevention or delay of type 2 diabetes. Diabetes Care 25:742–749

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Boule NG, Weisnagel SJ, Lakka TA, Tremblay A, Bergman RN, Rankinen T, Leon AS, Skinner JS, Wilmore JH, Rao DC, Bouchard C (2005) Effects of exercise training on glucose homeostasis: the HERITAGE family study. Diabetes Care 28:108–114

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Carroll S, Dudfield M (2004) What is the relationship between exercise and metabolic abnormalities? : a review of the metabolic syndrome. Sports Med 34:371–418

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Crouse SF, O’Brien BC, Grandjean PW, Lowe RC, Rohack JJ, Green JS, Tolson H (1997) Training intensity, blood lipids, and apolipoproteins in men with high cholesterol. J Appl Physiol 82:270–277

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • DeFronzo RA, Ferrannini E (1991) Insulin resistance. A multifaceted syndrome responsible for NIDDM, obesity, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Diabetes Care 14:173–194

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dengel DR, Pratley RE, Hagberg JM, Rogus EM, Goldberg AP (1996) Distinct effects of aerobic exercise training and weight loss on glucose homeostasis in obese sedentary men. J Appl Physiol 81:318–325

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Despres J-P, Lemieux I, Prud’homme D (2001) Treatment of obesity: need to focus on high risk abdominally obese patients. Br Med J 322:716–720

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dishman RK, Buckworth J (1996) Increasing physical activity: a quantitative synthesis. Med Sci Sports Exerc 28:706–719

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Durnin JV, Womersley J (1974) Body fat assessed from total body density and its estimation from skinfold thickness: measurements on 481 men and women aged from 16 to 72 years. Br J Nutr 32:77–97

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Field A (2000) Discovering statistics using SPSS for Windows. Sage, London, pp 258–288

  • Gossard D, Haskell WL, Taylor CB, Mueller JK, Rogers F, Chandler M, Ahn DK, Miller NH, DeBusk RF (1986) Effects of low- and high-intensity home-based exercise training on functional capacity in healthy middle-aged men. Am J Cardiol 57:446–449

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Helmrich SP, Ragland DR, Leung RW, Paffenbarger RS (1991) Physical activity and reduced occurrence of non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. N Engl J Med 325:147–152

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hickson RC, Hagberg JM, Ehsani AA, Holloszy JO (1981) Time course of the adaptive responses of aerobic power and heart rate to training. Med Sci Sports Exerc 13:17–20

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Houmard JA, Tanner CJ, Slentz CA, Duscha BD, McCartney JS, Kraus WE (2004) Effect of the volume and intensity of exercise training on insulin sensitivity. J Appl Physiol 96:101–116

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hu FB, Sigal RJ, Rich-Edwards JW, Colditz GA, Solomon CG, Willett WC, Speizer FE, Manson JE (1999) Walking compared with vigorous physical activity and risk of type 2 diabetes in women: a prospective study. JAMA 282:1433–1439

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Huszczuk A, Whipp BJ, Wasserman K (1990) A respiratory gas exchange simulator for routine calibration in metabolic studies. Eur Respir J 3:465–468

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ivy JL (1997) Role of exercise training in the prevention and treatment of insulin resistance and non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. Sports Med 24:321–336

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kang J, Robertson RJ, Hagberg JM, Kelley DE, Goss FL, DaSilva SG, Suminski RR, Utter AC (1996) Effect of exercise intensity on glucose and insulin metabolism in obese individuals and obese NIDDM patients. Diabetes Care 19:341–349

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lamarche B, Despres JP, Pouliot MC, Moorjani S, Lupien PJ, Theriault G, Tremblay A, Nadeau A, Bouchard C (1992) Is body fat loss a determinant factor in the improvement of carbohydrate and lipid metabolism following aerobic exercise training in obese women? Metabolism 41:1249–1256

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Manson JE, Rimm EB, Stampfer MJ, Colditz GA, Willett WC, Krolewski AS, Rosner B, Hennekens CH, Speizer FE (1991) Physical activity and incidence of non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus in women. Lancet 338:774–778

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Matthews DR, Hosker JP, Rudenski AS, Naylor BA, Treacher DF, Turner RC (1985) Homeostasis model assessment: insulin resistance and beta-cell function from fasting plasma glucose and insulin concentrations in man. Diabetologia 28:412–419

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • McAuley KA, Williams SM, Mann JI, Walker RJ, Lewis-Barned NJ, Temple LA, Duncan AW (2001) Diagnosing insulin resistance in the general population. Diabetes Care 24:460–464

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Molitch ME, Fujimoto W, Hamman RF, Knowler WC (2003) The diabetes prevention program and its global implications. J Am Soc Nephrol 14:S103–s107

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • O’Donovan G, Owen A, Bird SR, Kearney EM, Nevill AM, Jones DW, Woolf-May K (2005) Changes in cardiorespiratory fitness and coronary heart disease risk factors following 24 wk of moderate- or high-intensity exercise of equal energy cost. J Appl Physiol 98:1619–1625

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Office for National Statistics (2002) The national statistics socio-economic classification user manual. The Stationery Office, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Perseghin G, Price TB, Petersen KF, Roden M, Cline GW, Gerow K, Rothman DL, Shulman GI (1996) Increased glucose transport-phosphorylation and muscle glycogen synthesis after exercise training in insulin-resistant subjects. N Engl J Med 335:1357–1362

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Romijn JA, Coyle EF, Sidossis LS, Gastaldelli A, Horowitz JF, Endert E, Wolfe RR (1993) Regulation of endogenous fat and carbohydrate metabolism in relation to exercise intensity and duration. Am J Physiol 265:E380–E391

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sallis JF, Haskell WL, Wood PD, Fortmann SP, Rogers T, Blair SN, Paffenbarger RS Jr (1985) Physical activity assessment methodology in the Five-City Project. Am J Epidemiol 121:91–106

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Seals DR, Hagberg JM, Hurley BF, Ehsani AA, Holloszy JO (1984) Effects of endurance training on glucose tolerance and plasma lipid levels in older men and women. J Am Med Assoc 252:645–649

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Swain DP, Leutholtz BC (1997) Heart rate reserve is equivalent to %VO2 reserve, not to % VO2 max. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise 29:410–414

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Thompson PD, Crouse SF, Goodpaster B, Kelley D, Moyna N, Pescatello L (2001) The acute versus the chronic response to exercise. Med Sci Sports Exerc 33:S438–S445

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Sport Science, Tourism and Leisure, Canterbury Christ Church, University College, Canterbury, UK

    Gary O’Donovan, Edward M. Kearney & Kate Woolf-May

  2. Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother Hospital, Margate, UK

    Edward M. Kearney

  3. School of Sport, Performing Arts and Leisure, University of Wolverhampton, Walsall, UK

    Alan M. Nevill

  4. Centre for Population Health in the West, Sunshine Hospital and Melbourne University, Victoria, AUSTRALIA

    Steve R. Bird

  5. School of Sport and Education, Brunel University, Uxbridge, Middlesex, UB8 3PH, UK

    Gary O’Donovan

Authors
  1. Gary O’Donovan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Edward M. Kearney
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Alan M. Nevill
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Kate Woolf-May
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Steve R. Bird
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Gary O’Donovan.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

O’Donovan, G., Kearney, E.M., Nevill, A.M. et al. The effects of 24 weeks of moderate- or high-intensity exercise on insulin resistance. Eur J Appl Physiol 95, 522–528 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-005-0040-5

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-005-0040-5

Keywords

Search

Navigation