Date of Graduation

5-2020

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Science

Degree Level

Undergraduate

Department

Health, Human Performance and Recreation

Advisor/Mentor

Howie, Erin K.

Committee Member/Reader

Gray, Michelle

Abstract

Abstract: Background/Introduction: Elevated glucose levels can increase the risk of diseases, such as metabolic syndrome and Type 2 Diabetes. Thus, knowing glucose levels is important to indicate the likelihood of future health complications. Unfortunately, many young adults do not know their glucose levels. Purpose: The purpose of this research study was to complete a cross- sectional study and determine associations between fasting glucose with physical activity, and fitness. I hypothesized more physical activity, and higher fitness, will result in a lower, fasting glucose level. Methodology: This study examined 26 participants aged 18-25. The participants completed an 8-hour fasted glucose measurement, and treadmill testing. A GT9X accelerometer measured the participants’ 24-hours, 7 days of activity. Glucose levels were compared to VO2max, maximum rate of oxygen consumption, from the treadmill test and their daily activity for 7 days. The relationship between fitness and physical activity with blood glucose was assessed using linear regression, additionally adjusted for age, sex and BMI. Results: The women had the following averages: age 21years, height 65 inches, weight 148 lb, BMI 24 lb/in^2, fasting blood glucose 88mg/dL, VO2max 36ml.kg/min, physical activity (CPM) 1922 and step count 11,846. The men had the following averages: age 21 years, height 71 inches, weight 183 lb, BMI 26 lb/in^2, fasting blood glucose 100 mg/dL, VO2max 43 ml.kg/min, physical activity (CPM) 2080, and step count 11,495. In unadjusted models, VO2max was positively associated with blood glucose (p=0.039) and step count was negatively associated with blood glucose (p=0.02). When adjusted for age, sex, and BMI, VO2max was not statistically associated with blood glucose (p=0.668), but step count remained negatively associated (p=0.038). Discussion/Conclusion: Higher step count showed associations with lower blood glucose. This correlates with my hypothesis that more physical activity will result in lower glucose values. However, higher VO2max showed an association with a higher blood glucose. This goes against my hypothesis of higher fitness resulting in lower blood glucose. A potential limitation to this finding could be that not all the participants came in completely fasted. The associations between physical activity and blood glucose were different when adjusted for age, sex, and BMI. Non-significant findings could be related to a small population size, creating a limitation in the study. Based on these findings the more steps you take per week, the better, more normalized blood glucose will be. The increase in weekly steps lowering blood glucose can also improve overall health. Continuous studies should build on this information and potentially monitor blood glucose levels before and after amounts of exercise.

Keywords

Glucose; Physical activity; fitness; health; obesity; fitness assessment

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