Exercise prescription for improving inflammatory and glucose regulatory outcomes in inactive Indigenous Australian and Caucasian men

This thesis compared the acute and chronic effects of rugby-specific small-sided games (SSG) and cycle ergometry (CYC) on inflammation and glucose regulation in middle-aged, inactive Indigenous Australian and Caucasian men. The initial investigation compared the inflammatory and glucose responses between Indigenous Australian and Caucasian men following an acute bout of CYC. Despite being matched for fitness and body composition the Indigenous men had elevated resting tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and glucose values compared to the Caucasian men. These differences may have contributed to the suppressed post-exercise anti-inflammatory (interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1 receptor agonist (ra) and cortisol) response observed in Indigenous men following exercise (p<0.05). Moreover, there was a similar post-exercise (0-240 min) decrease in glucose between groups (p<0.05), which highlights the value of acute moderate-intensity exercise to be completed daily to assist with long-term improvements in glucose, irrespective of ancestry.