Interactive roles of cardiorespiratory fitness and adiposity on recovery of impaired glucose and vascular control after physical inactivity

The far-reaching negative health effects of the reduced physical activity (RPA) epidemic are often overlooked by the general population and health professionals. Short-term RPA induces cardiometabolic dysfunction, including impaired glucose control and vascular function, that may precede disease development. The impact of existing health status on RPA-induced cardiometabolic dysfunction and recovery of impaired glucose control following RPA is unexplored. Thus, our objectives are 1) to investigate the effect of existing health status (cardiorespiratory fitness and adiposity) on the recovery of impaired glucose control following a period of RPA and 2) to determine the role of vascular function as a mechanism of impaired glucose control. Our final objective is to 3) expose undergraduate students to meritorious biomedical clinical research methods. We have piloted the clinical research methods and analysis with undergraduate researcher associates and are well-prepared to complete this proposal. Our preliminary data show that low cardiorespiratory fitness and/or high adiposity impair the recovery of glucose control following short-term RPA. Thus, we aim to examine the interactive role of health status (cardiorespiratory fitness and adiposity) on the ability to recover impaired glucose control following short-term RPA. We also seek to examine changes in vascular function as a mechanism of recovery of impaired glucose control following a return to normal PA. We will recruit men and women with divergent health status (cardiorespiratory fitness and adiposity) to examine glucose control and vascular function during 7-d of normal PA, 7-d of RPA, and 7-d of resumption of normal RA. Continuous glucose monitoring and oral glucose tolerance tests will be performed to assess glucose control. Increases in vascular shear stress induced by passive leg movement and central arterial stiffness will be measured to assess vascular function. Project Number: 1R15HL177798-01 | Fiscal Year: 2025 | NIH Institute/Center: National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) | Principal Investigator: Kevin Ballard | Institution: MIAMI UNIVERSITY OXFORD, OXFORD, OH | Award Amount: $422,894 | Activity Code: R15 | Study Section: Basic Mechanisms of Diabetes and Metabolism Study Section[BMDM] View on NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/1R15HL17779801