Effect of exercise training on cardiometabolic risk markers among sedentary, but metabolically healthy overweight or obese post-menopausal women with elevated blood pressure

• Published in: Atherosclerosis 2009-12, Vol.207 (2), p.530-533
• Main Authors: Arsenault, Benoit J, Côté, Mélanie, Cartier, Amélie, Lemieux, Isabelle, Després, Jean-Pierre, Ross, Robert, Earnest, Conrad P, Blair, Steven N, Church, Timothy S
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adiponectin - blood; Atherosclerosis (general aspects, experimental research); Biological and medical sciences; Biomarkers - blood; Blood and lymphatic vessels; Blood Pressure; Body Mass Index; C-Reactive Protein - metabolism; Cardiology. Vascular system; Cardiometabolic risk; Cardiovascular; Cardiovascular Diseases - etiology; Cardiovascular Diseases - metabolism; Cardiovascular Diseases - physiopathology; Cardiovascular Diseases - prevention & control; Exercise Therapy; Exercise training; Female; Humans; Inflammation Mediators - blood; Interleukin-6 - blood; Lipids - blood; Lipoproteins - blood; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Obesity; Obesity - complications; Obesity - metabolism; Obesity - physiopathology; Obesity - therapy; Overweight - complications; Overweight - metabolism; Overweight - physiopathology; Overweight - therapy; Oxygen Consumption; Physical Fitness; Post-menopausal women; Postmenopause; Prospective Studies; Risk Factors; Sedentary Lifestyle; Surgery (general aspects). Transplantations, organ and tissue grafts. Graft diseases; Time Factors; Treatment Outcome; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha - blood; Vascular surgery: aorta, extremities, vena cava. Surgery of the lymphatic vessels; Waist Circumference; Weight Loss
• ISSN: 0021-9150; 1879-1484
• DOI: 10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2009.05.009

Abstract Objective To investigate the effect of exercise training on markers of the lipoprotein-lipid profile and inflammatory markers in post-menopausal overweight/obese women with a moderately elevated systolic blood pressure. Methods A total of 267 women [mean body mass index (BMI) = 32.0 ± 5.7 kg/m2 and mean age = 57.3 ± 6.6 years] underwent a 6-month exercise intervention program. Exercise training was performed 3–4 times per week at a targeted heart rate corresponding to 50% of the maximal oxygen consumption. Results Compared to baseline values, mean change in relative VO2 max (the primary endpoint) was of 1.18 ± 2.25 mL/min kg ( p < 0.0001), mean weight loss was of 1.4 ± 3.3 kg ( p < 0.0001), mean reduction in waist circumference was of 2.4 ± 6.9 cm ( p < 0.0001) and systolic blood pressure did not change significantly (−1.2 ± 13.0 mmHg, NS). No changes were observed in markers of the lipoprotein-lipid profile. No changes were observed for plasma levels of C-reactive protein, interleukin-6, tumor-necrosis factor-α and adiponectin. Changes in VO2 max were negatively associated with changes in body weight ( r = −0.26, p < 0.0001) and waist circumference ( r = −0.16, p = 0.01), but not with changes in cardiometabolic risk markers. Conclusion Although exercise training significantly increased cardiorespiratory fitness in these sedentary, but metabolically healthy obese/overweight women with a moderately elevated systolic blood pressure, no significant improvements were observed in their cardiometabolic risk profile.