A new study has found that when it comes to overall health and longevity, high sugar consumption and reduced physical activity take a higher toll on men than women.
The research which was conducted by the University of Missouri School of Medicine provides the first evidence in humans that short-term lifestyle changes can disrupt the response to insulin in blood vessels.
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It is also the first study to demonstrate that men and women respond differently to these changes.
“Vascular insulin resistance” is a feature of obesity and type 2 diabetes that contributes to cardiovascular disease. Researchers examined vascular insulin resistance in 36 young and healthy men and women by subjecting them to a 10-day period of decreased physical activity, reducing their step count from 10,000 to 5,000 per day.
Additionally, the individuals raised their sugary beverage consumption to six cans of soda per day.
Key Takeaways From This Study:
- Only the men in the study showed a marked decrease in blood flow and markers of insulin resistance when exposed to a sedentary lifestyle and high sugar intake.
- These findings underscore a sex-related difference in the development of vascular insulin resistance.
- This is the first evidence that vascular insulin resistance can be provoked by short-term adverse lifestyle changes.
- This is also the first study to show that such adverse lifestyle changes affect men and women differently.
You can read the complete study, which was published in this issue of Endocrinology, by clicking on the link.