Research

Hormonal

Short-term reduction in daily physical activity (step reduction) induces peripheral insulin resistance and ectopic fat accumulation (liver and visceral adipose tissue) in young, healthy adults within 14 days.

Even if you are young and healthy, dropping your activity level significantly (e.g., from 10,000 to 1,500 steps/day) for just two weeks can cause your body to store fat in the liver and become less sensitive to insulin. This happens even if your total body weight doesn't change. To prevent this, try to maintain your usual activity level or incorporate light movement during periods of reduced activity.

GoodSupportsHIGH confidence
Taken together, the evidence suggests that step reduction causes peripheral insulin resistance in skeletal muscle and adipose tissue, but while fat is accumulated centrally and in the liver, hepatic insulin resistance remains unchanged (in the short term).
Kelly A. Bowden Davies et al. · Therapeutic Advances in Endocrinology and Metabolism · 2019

Why this rating

Based on multiple controlled step-reduction studies in young healthy adults.

Source

Reduced physical activity in young and older adults: metabolic and musculoskeletal implications

Kelly A. Bowden Davies et al. · Therapeutic Advances in Endocrinology and Metabolism · 2019

DOI 10.1177/2042018819888824

narrative_reviewCited 268×
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DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10

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