This study was initiated to see if the insulin resistance, hyperinsulinemia, and hypertension that follow feeding nonnotensive Sprague-Dawley rats a fructose-rich diet could be prevented by letting rats run spontaneously in exercise wheel cages. Blood pressure in sedentary rats increased from (mean ± SEM) 125 ± 2 to 148 ± 3 mm Hg in response to 2 weeks of a high fructose diet, and this increment was significantly (p< 0.001) attenuated in exercising rats (from 121 ± 1 to 131 ± 2 mm Hg). In addition, mean (±SEM) plasma insulin concentration was lower in fructose-fed rats allowed to run spontaneously (44 ± 2 vs 62 ± 5 μU/ml;p< 0.01). Finally, resistance to insulin-stimulated glucose uptake was assessed by determining the steady state plasma glucose response to a continuous glucose and exogenous Insulin infusion during a period in which endogenous insulin secretion was suppressed. The results of these studies indicated that the mean (± SEM) steady state plasma glucose concentration was significantly lower in the exercise-trained rats (127 ± 5 vs 168 ± 6 mg/dl;p< 0.001), despite tbe fact that the steady state plasma insulin levels were also lower in rats allowed to run spontaneously (75 ± 4 vs 90 ± 5 μU/ml;p< 0.05). Thus, the ability of exercise-trained rats to stimulate glucose disposal was enhanced as compared with that of sedentary rats fed the same fructose-rich diet. These data demonstrate that the insulin resistance, hyperinsulinemia, and hypertension produced hi nonnotensive rats by feeding them a high fructose diet can be attenuated if rats are allowed to run spontaneously. These results provide further support for the hypothesis that insulin resistance and hyperinsulinemia play a role in the pathogenesis of fructose-induced hypertension.