LAUSR

What is the central question of this study? To understand better the effects of acute hyperglycaemia on arterial stiffness in healthy young individuals, we assessed arterial stiffness in physically active men before and after reduced ambulatory physical activity to decrease insulin sensitivity. What is the main finding and its importance? During an oral glucose tolerance test, we identified an increase in leg arterial stiffness (i.e. reduced femoral artery compliance) only when subjects were inactive for 5 days (<5000 steps day−1) and not when they were engaging in regular physical activity (>10,000 steps day−1). These results demonstrate the deleterious consequence of acute reductions in daily physical activity on the response of the peripheral vasculature to acute hyperglycaemia.