TY - JOUR

T1 - Associations Between Physical Activity and Gastrointestinal Transit Times in People with Normal Weight, Overweight, and Obesity

AU - Jensen, Marie M.

AU - Pedersen, Hanne E.

AU - Clemmensen, Kim K.B.

AU - Ekblond, Trine S.

AU - Ried-Larsen, Mathias

AU - Færch, Kristine

AU - Brock, Christina

AU - Quist, Jonas S.

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2023 American Society for Nutrition

PY - 2024

Y1 - 2024

N2 - Background: Rapid gastric emptying is associated with obesity and overeating, whereas delayed gastric emptying is associated with anorexia. Acute effects of exercise on gastric emptying have been investigated extensively, but the influence of habitual physical activity on gastric emptying and transit time in other regions of the gastrointestinal tract is poorly understood. Objective: The objective was to investigate associations between objectively measured habitual physical activity and gastrointestinal transit times in adults with varying degrees of adiposity. Methods: 50 adults (58% women) were included in this cross-sectional study. Physical activity was measured by an accelerometer placed on the lower back for 7 d. Gastric emptying time, small bowel transit time, colonic transit time, and whole gut transit time were simultaneously evaluated by a wireless motility capsule, which was ingested together with a standardized mixed meal. Linear regression models were applied to assess the associations of total activity counts and time spent at different intensities—sedentary activity (0–100 counts/min), low light activity (101–759 counts/min), high light activity (760–1951 counts/min); moderate and vigorous activity (≥1952 counts/min)) with gastrointestinal transit times. Results: Median [Q1; Q3] age was 56.5 [46.6–65.5] y, and body mass index (BMI) was 32.1 [28.5–35.1] kg/m2. For every additional hour spent performing high light intensity physical activity, colonic transit time was 25.5 % [95% CI: 3.10, 42.7] more rapid (P = 0.028), and whole gut transit time was 16.2 % [95% CI: 1.84, 28.4] more rapid (P = 0.028) when adjusted for sex, age, and body fat. No other associations were observed. Conclusions: More time spent on physical activity at high light intensity was associated with more rapid colonic and whole gut transit time, independent of age, sex, and body fat, whereas other intensities of physical activity and gastrointestinal transit times were not associated. Trial registration: Clinicaltrials.gov IDs (NCT03894670, NCT03854656).

AB - Background: Rapid gastric emptying is associated with obesity and overeating, whereas delayed gastric emptying is associated with anorexia. Acute effects of exercise on gastric emptying have been investigated extensively, but the influence of habitual physical activity on gastric emptying and transit time in other regions of the gastrointestinal tract is poorly understood. Objective: The objective was to investigate associations between objectively measured habitual physical activity and gastrointestinal transit times in adults with varying degrees of adiposity. Methods: 50 adults (58% women) were included in this cross-sectional study. Physical activity was measured by an accelerometer placed on the lower back for 7 d. Gastric emptying time, small bowel transit time, colonic transit time, and whole gut transit time were simultaneously evaluated by a wireless motility capsule, which was ingested together with a standardized mixed meal. Linear regression models were applied to assess the associations of total activity counts and time spent at different intensities—sedentary activity (0–100 counts/min), low light activity (101–759 counts/min), high light activity (760–1951 counts/min); moderate and vigorous activity (≥1952 counts/min)) with gastrointestinal transit times. Results: Median [Q1; Q3] age was 56.5 [46.6–65.5] y, and body mass index (BMI) was 32.1 [28.5–35.1] kg/m2. For every additional hour spent performing high light intensity physical activity, colonic transit time was 25.5 % [95% CI: 3.10, 42.7] more rapid (P = 0.028), and whole gut transit time was 16.2 % [95% CI: 1.84, 28.4] more rapid (P = 0.028) when adjusted for sex, age, and body fat. No other associations were observed. Conclusions: More time spent on physical activity at high light intensity was associated with more rapid colonic and whole gut transit time, independent of age, sex, and body fat, whereas other intensities of physical activity and gastrointestinal transit times were not associated. Trial registration: Clinicaltrials.gov IDs (NCT03894670, NCT03854656).

KW - colonic transit

KW - gastric emptying

KW - gastrointestinal transit

KW - physical activity

KW - small intestinal transit

U2 - 10.1016/j.tjnut.2023.06.005

DO - 10.1016/j.tjnut.2023.06.005

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 37315794

AN - SCOPUS:85163476402

VL - 154

SP - 41

EP - 48

JO - Journal of Nutrition

JF - Journal of Nutrition

SN - 0022-3166

IS - 1

ER -