The Effect of Regular Walking and Intermittent Fasting on Insulin Resistance and Blood Lipid Profile: A Clinical Study

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of regular walking and intermittent fasting on insulin resistance and blood lipid profile. Thirty-eight adults (22 males, 16 females) aged ≥18 years who practiced intermittent fasting for at least 24 days and regularly practiced walking exercise for 30 minutes 5 days a week were included in the study. Waist circumference, body weight, blood lipid profile, insulin resistance and other biochemical parameters were measured before and after intermittent fasting. Paired t-test was used to analyze the data. A significant decrease in waist circumference (pretest: 97.28±12.42; posttest: 92.31±12.15, p<0.001) and body weight (pretest: 81.22±14.30; posttest: 78.88±13.37, p=0.001) was observed after intermittent fasting. Significant improvements were also observed in HbA1C, HDL and insulin levels (p<0.05). However, no significant changes were observed in fasting glucose, ALT, AST, B12, cholesterol, LDL, triglyceride and TSH levels (p>0.05). In gender comparison, the increase in HDL levels and the decrease in waist circumference and body weight after fasting were more significant in men than in women. This study shows that intermittent fasting and regular walking exercise have positive effects on BMI, waist circumference, body weight, insulin sensitivity and blood lipid profile in overweight adults. Intermittent fasting can be considered a potential strategy for the treatment of obesity and related metabolic disorders. However, larger and long-term studies are needed to generalize the results.

Keywords

• Blood lipid profile
• intermittent fasting
• insulin resistance
• regular walking

Düzenli Yürüyüş Yapma ve Aralıklı Orucun İnsülin Direnci ve Kan Lipid Profili Üzerindeki Etkisi: Klinik Bir Çalışma

Abstract

Bu çalışmanın amacı, düzenli yürüyüş yapma ve aralıklı orucun insülin direnci ve kan lipid profili üzerindeki etkilerini araştırmaktır. Çalışmaya en az 24 gün aralıklı oruç tutan ve düzenli olarak haftada 5 gün 30 dakika yürüyüş egzersizi yapan 18 yaş üstü 38 yetişkin (22 erkek, 16 kadın) dahil edildi. Bel çevresi, vücut ağırlığı, kan lipid profili, insülin direnci ve diğer biyokimyasal parametreler aralıklı oruçtan önce ve sonra ölçüldü. Verileri analiz etmek için eşleştirilmiş t-testi kullanılmıştır. Aralıklı oruç sonrasında bel çevresinde (ön test: 97,28±12,42; son test: 92,31±12,15, p<0,001) ve vücut ağırlığında (ön test: 81,22±14,30; son test: 78,88±13,37, p=0,001) anlamlı bir azalma gözlendi. HbA1C, HDL ve insülin seviyelerinde de anlamlı iyileşmeler gözlenmiştir (p<0,05). Ancak açlık glukozu, ALT, AST, B12, kolesterol, LDL, trigliserit ve TSH düzeylerinde anlamlı bir değişiklik gözlenmedi (p>0,05). Cinsiyet karşılaştırmasında, açlık sonrası HDL düzeylerindeki artış ile bel çevresi ve vücut ağırlığındaki azalma erkeklerde kadınlara göre daha anlamlı bulunmuştur. Bu çalışma, aralıklı orucun ve düzenli yürüyüş egzersizi yapmanın fazla kilolu yetişkinlerde VKİ, bel çevresi, vücut ağırlığı, insülin duyarlılığı ve kan lipit profili üzerinde olumlu etkileri olduğunu göstermektedir. Aralıklı oruç, obezite ve ilgili metabolik bozuklukların tedavisinde potansiyel bir strateji olarak düşünülebilir. Ancak sonuçların genellenebilmesi için daha büyük ve uzun süreli çalışmalara ihtiyaç vardır.

Keywords

• Aralıklı oruç
• düzenli yürüyüş
• insülin direnci
• kan lipid profili

References

1. Adlouni, A., Ghalim, N., Benslimane, A., Lecerf, J., & Saïle, R. (1997). Fasting during Ramadan induces a marked increase in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and decrease in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism, 41(4), 242-249. https://doi.org/10.1159/000177999
2. Aksungar, F. B., Eren, A., Ure, S., Teskin, Ö., & Ates, G. (2005). Effects of intermittent fasting on serum lipid levels, coagulation status, and plasma homocysteine levels. Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism, 49(2), 77-82. https://doi.org/10.1159/000084739
3. Alkandari, J. R., Maughan, R. J., Roky, R., Aziz, A. R. A., & Karlı, Ü. (2012). The implications of Ramadan fasting for human health and well-being. Journal of Sports Sciences, 30(S1), 3-15. https://doi.org/10.1080/02640414.2012.698298
4. Azizi, F. (2010). Islamic fasting and health. Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism, 56(4), 273-282.
5. Bruce-Keller, A. J., Umberger, G., McFall, R., & Mattson, M. P. (1999). Food restriction reduces brain damage and improves behavioral outcome following excitotoxic and metabolic insults. Annals of Neurology, 45, 8-15.
6. Cicek, G., Ozcan, O., Akyol, P., Isik, O., Novak, D., & Küçük, H. (2024). The effect of aerobic and high-intensity interval training on plasma pentraxin 3 and lipid parameters in overweight and obese women. PeerJ, 12, e18123. https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.18123
7. Hartman, A. L., Rubenstein, J. E., & Kossoff, E. H. (2012). Intermittent fasting: A “new” historical strategy for controlling seizures? Epilepsy Research, 104, 275-279.
8. Harvie, M. N., Pegington, M., Mattson, M. P., Frystyk, J., Dillon, B., Evans, G., ... & Howell, A. (2011). The effects of intermittent or continuous energy restriction on weight loss and metabolic disease risk markers: A randomized trial in young overweight women. International Journal of Obesity, 35(5), 714-727.

9. Hoddy, K. K., Marlatt, K. L., Çetinkaya, H., & Ravussin, E. (2020). Intermittent fasting and metabolic health: From religious fast to time-restricted feeding. Obesity, 28(S1), S29-S37. https://doi.org/10.1002/oby.22829
10. Keenan, S., Cooke, M. B., & Belski, R. (2020). The effects of intermittent fasting combined with resistance training on lean body mass: A systematic review of human studies. Nutrients, 12(8), 2349. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu12082349
11. Küçük, H., & Ceylan, L. (2022). Researchıng of hormone parameters of football players. Journal of Pharmaceutical Negative Results, 754-759. https://doi.org/10.47750/pnr.2022.13.S01.94
12. Küçük, H., Söyler, M., Ceylan, T., Ceylan, L., & Şahin, F. N. (2024). Effects of acute and chronic high-intensity interval training on serum irisin BDNF and apelin levels in male soccer referees. Journal of Men’s Health, 20(2), 120–125. https://dx.doi.org/10.22514/jomh.2024.027
13. Lamine, F., Bouguerra, R., Jabrane, J., Marrakchi, Z., Rayana, M. C. B., Slama, C. B., & Gaigi, S. (2006). Food intake and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels changes during Ramadan fasting in healthy young subjects. PubMed, 84(10), 647-650.
14. Lange, M. G., Coffey, A. A., Coleman, P. C., Barber, T. M., Van Rens, T., Oyebode, O., ... & Hanson, P. (2024). Metabolic changes with intermittent fasting. Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, 37(1), 256-269. https://doi.org/10.1111/jhn.13253
15. Longo, V. D., & Mattson, M. P. (2014). Fasting: Molecular mechanisms and clinical applications. Cell Metabolism, 19(2), 181-192. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cmet.2013.12.008
16. Mattson, M. P., Longo, V. D., & Harvie, M. (2017). Impact of intermittent fasting on health and disease processes. Ageing Research Reviews, 39, 46-58.
17. Muller, H., de Toledo, F. W., & Resch, K. L. (2001). Fasting followed by a vegetarian diet in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: A systematic review. Scandinavian Journal of Rheumatology, 30(1), 1-10.
18. Pagana, K. D., & Pagana, T. J. (2012). Mosby's diagnostic and laboratory test reference (E-Book). Elsevier Health Sciences.
19. Patterson, R. E., & Sears, D. D. (2017). Metabolic effects of intermittent fasting. Annual Review of Nutrition, 37(1), 371-393.
20. Sadiya, A., Ahmed, S. M., Siddieg, H., Babas, I. J., & Carlsson, M. (2011). Effect of Ramadan fasting on metabolic markers, body composition, and dietary intake in Emiratis of Ajman (UAE) with metabolic syndrome. Diabetes, Metabolic Syndrome and Obesity: Targets and Therapy, 4, 409. https://doi.org/10.2147/dmso.s24221
21. Shariatpanahi, Z. V., Shariatpanahi, Z. V., Shahbazi, S., Hossaini, A., & Abadi, A. H. (2008). Effect of Ramadan fasting on metabolic parameters.
22. Shehab, A., Abdulle, A., Issa, A. E., Suwaidi, J. A., & Nagelkerke, N. (2012). Favorable changes in lipid profile: The effects of fasting after Ramadan. PLOS ONE, 7(10), e47615. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0047615
23. Temizhan, A., Tandogan, I., Dönderici, Ö., & Demirbas, B. (2000). The effects of Ramadan fasting on blood lipid levels. The American Journal of Medicine, 109(4), 341.
24. Ünver, Ş., Bıyık, İ., Akman, T., Şimşek, E., Küçük, H., Kaplan, A., ... & Çaycı, Y. T. (2024). Effect of acute anaerobic performance on zinc alpha 2 glycoprotein, apelin and lipasin levels. PeerJ, 12, e18093. https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.18093
25. Varady, K. A., Cienfuegos, S., Ezpeleta, M., & Gabel, K. (2022). Clinical application of intermittent fasting for weight loss: Progress and future directions. Nature Reviews Endocrinology, 18(5), 309-321. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41574-022-00597-4
26. Vardarlı, M. C., Hammes, H., & Vardarlı, İ. (2014). Possible metabolic impact of Ramadan fasting in healthy men. Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences, 44(6), 1010-1020. https://doi.org/10.3906/sag-1308-30
27. Vasim, I., Majeed, C. N., & DeBoer, M. D. (2022). Intermittent fasting and metabolic health. Nutrients, 14(3), 631. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14030631
28. World Health Organization. (2020). Global recommendations on physical activity for health. Geneva, Switzerland: World Health Organization. Retrieved from https://www.who.int/publications-detail/global-recommendations-on-physical-activity-for-health