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Exercise, substrate oxidation and energy balance

International Journal of Obesity volume 30, page 1022 (2006)Cite this article

Dumotier et al.1 studied the impact of time interval from the last meal on substrate oxidation during physical exercise. As expected, they found that an exercise session close (1 h post) to the meal was characterized by higher respiratory exchange ratio, lower lipid oxidation rate and higher concentration of plasma glucose, insulin and lactate, compared with exercise 3 h postmeal. The authors conclude that individuals with obesity should be prescribed low-intensity, fat-burning exercise. Whereas this recommendation is certainly correct from a health promotion view-point (low-intensity exercise is easy to tolerate, safe, and usually requires minimal skills), the arguments related to energy and fat-balance may be questioned.

The use of muscle substrate during physical activity has no relevance to 24-h substrate oxidation, energy expenditure, weight management or body composition.2 High-intensity exercise depletes muscular glycogen stores and leads to higher postexercise fat oxidation.3, 4 Conversely, low-intensity exercise with high-fat oxidation is followed by increased postexercise carbohydrate oxidation, compared with a high-intensity exercise condition. This means that high-fat oxidation during exercise is followed by low postexercise fat oxidation and vice versa. Total physical activity energy expenditure, regardless of the intensity and substrate utilization, is therefore the important factor for energy balance and weight management. It is a pity that Dumotier et al.1 did not have a 3–4 h follow-up, since this might have lead to a slightly different general conclusion.

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References

  1. Dumotier M, Thöni G, Brun JF, Mercier J . Substrate oxidation during exercise: impact of time interval from the last meal in obese women. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord 2005; 29: 966–974.

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  1. The UKK Institute for Health Promotion Research, POB 30, Tampere, 33501, Finland

    M Fogelholm

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  1. M Fogelholm
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Fogelholm, M. Exercise, substrate oxidation and energy balance. Int J Obes 30, 1022 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ijo.0803225

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