Can tea ingestion prevent the impairments in vascular function and insulin sensitivity induced by physical inactivity and overfeeding?

Reimbursement

Participants will receive a £200 Amazon voucher for taking part in the study.

What is the purpose of the study?

Physical inactivity has increased significantly in recent decades and is now a leading cause for global mortality. Physical inactivity is strongly associated with an increased risk of developing cardiovascular and metabolic disease. High fat and high calorie diets are also strongly associated with increased cardiometabolic risk. As modern lifestyles feature low levels of daily energy expenditure and high intake of calories, it is important to explore the impact of lifestyle interventions upon health. Evidence supports beneficial effects of regular tea drinking on blood pressure, vascular function and even metabolic disorders such as diabetes. This research study will investigate whether tea consumption can prevent vascular and metabolic impairment induced by 7-days of physical inactivity and overfeeding in healthy males.

Inclusion Criteria

•          Aged 18-55 years
•          Male
•          Non-smoker
•          No medical history of cardiovascular/metabolic disease
•          No known food allergies or special dietary requirements

What does the study involve?

Participants will undergo two periods of 7-days of reduced physical activity (50% less steps per day) and overfeeding (50% more calories per day), each period being separated by 2 weeks. During each 7-day period, participants will be provided with tea samples and asked to consume these at regular intervals (3 cups daily), and to abstain from all other tea drinks. Participants will also be given a “snack box” to consume daily during each 7-day intervention period. Participants will be required to attend the laboratory before and after each 7-day period for a total of 4 visits, during which we will examine vascular function and insulin sensitivity.

Location

Research Institute for Sport and Exercise Sciences (RISES), Liverpool John Moores University, Tom Reilly Building, Byrom Street, Liverpool, L3 3AF.