In consideration of the rising prevalence of obesity and its effect on metabolic health and disease, this study was conducted to examine mechanisms involved in adipose tissue function following an acute bout of exercise in abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissue. Sedentary, overweight/obese women (n=10, BMI=30.6±6.0 kg∙m-2, VO2peak=30.3±5.4 mL•kg-1•min-1) completed 2 visits to the lab in which they either exercised for 1 hour or a rested in bed for the equivalent time (control). Experiments were executed randomly using a randomized cross-over study design. Gas exchange measures were measured at three time points before biopsies and subcutaneous adipose biopsies were obtained pre-condition, immediately after condition (0hr), two hours post (2hr), and four hours post (4hr). Acute exercise had significant effects whole body fat oxidation and phosphorylation of insulin signalling proteins, but had no effect on the phosphorylation of proteins regulating the expression of glyceroneogenic genes. In combination, these results suggest that acute exercise can transiently decrease insulin signalling although the mechanism by which this occurs is unclear. Additionally, acute exercise had no effect on the phosphorylation of proteins that are thought to regulate glyceroneogenic gene expression, suggesting that there are either alternative mechanisms involved or that time since the consumption of a meal is a greater stimulus for the activation/upregulation of glyceroneogenesis. Our findings suggest that acute exercise may acutely alter function of adipose tissue such that it contributes to elevations in whole body fatty acid metabolism, however, whether or not chronic adaptations are induced remains an important area for future study. / Thesis (Master, Kinesiology & Health Studies) -- Queen's University, 2013-09-25 20:39:11.506