Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
Date of Graduation
5-6-2021
Semester of Graduation
Spring
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
Department
Department of Kinesiology
First Advisor
Stephanie P. Kurti-Luden
Second Advisor
Nicholas D. Luden
Third Advisor
Nicholas D. Luden
Fourth Advisor
Michael J. Saunders
Abstract
A single high fat meal (HFM) increases airway inflammation in young, healthy individuals. Additionally, aging increases airway resistance and inflammation, though the airway inflammatory response to a HFM has not been investigated. Exercise is a natural anti-inflammatory, but has yet to be administered with a HFM as a method to study postprandial airway inflammation in older adults. Purpose: To investigate whether older individuals have greater postprandial airway inflammation compared to younger counterparts, and to explore whether exercise may modify the postprandial airway response in older adults. Methods: 12 younger adults (23.3±3.9 years; 5 M/7 F) and 12 older adults (67.7±6 years, 8 M/4 F) completed two HFM challenges (HFM=12 kcals/kg BW: 57% fat, 39% CHO, 4% PRO), in a randomized order. For both sessions, participants abstained from exercise 48 hours prior to the HFM session and adhered to a 12 hour overnight fast. In the HFM paired with exercise session, participants performed exercise on a cycle ergometer at a heart rate that corresponded to 65% VO2Peak until caloric expenditure matched 75% of the caloric content of the HFM, then adhered to a 12 hour overnight fast before consuming the HFM. Airway inflammation (measured via exhaled nitric oxide; eNO) and airway function (measured via pulmonary function tests) were assessed at baseline, 2h and 4h postprandially. Blood triglycerides (TG) and glucose was assessed at baseline and every hour postprandially. Results: eNO post-HFM did not increase across time-points from baseline to four hours, (p=0.071), between HFM alone and HFM with exercise, nor did responses differ between younger and older groups. Conclusion: There was no airway inflammation following a HFM in older or younger individuals. Additionally, exercise did not alter the airway inflammation response.
