Effects of intermittent games activity on postprandial lipemia in young adults.

PURPOSE To investigate whether a single session of intermittent games activity would reduce postprandial lipemia. METHODS Twelve male volunteers completed three 2-d trials: rest, continuous exercise, and intermittent games activity. Trials were performed a minimum of 6 d apart in a balanced crossover design. In the rest trial, subjects took no exercise on day 1. On day 1 of the continuous and intermittent games trials, subjects completed four blocks (approximately 15 min per block) of uphill treadmill walking or intermittent games activity with 3 min of rest between each block. On day 2, subjects came to the laboratory for an oral fat tolerance test (blood taken fasted and for 6 h following a high-fat test meal (1.25 g of fat and 1.07 g of carbohydrate per kilogram of body mass)). RESULTS The intermittent games protocol elicited a higher exercise intensity than the continuous trial (lactate: 4.3+/-0.6 vs 2.4+/-0.3 mmol.L; % VO2max: 72+/-2 vs 62+/-1, respectively; mean+/-SE). The total area under the plasma triacylglycerol (TAG) concentration versus time curve was lower in both the intermittent games (25%, P=0.001) and the continuous (19%, P=0.028) trials than in the rest trial. CONCLUSION These findings show for the first time that intermittent games activity can reduce postprandial lipemia, and confirm that continuous exercise reduces postprandial lipemia in young adults.