Exercise training and/or diet on reduction of intra-abdominal adipose tissue and risk factors for cardiovascular disease.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: To test the effects of weight loss with and without exercise training (aerobic or resistance) on intra-abdominal adipose tissue (IAAT) and risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD). Additionally, CVD risk factors was evaluated before and after weight loss using previously established IAAT cut-points.

SUBJECTS/METHODS: One hundred twenty-two overweight premenopausal women were randomly assigned to one of three groups: (1) diet only (Diet); (2) diet and aerobic training (Diet + AT); or (3) diet and resistance training (Diet + RT); until a BMI of < 25 kg/m was reached. Computerized tomography was used to measure IAAT and blood lipids were measured by assay. Evaluations were made before and after weight loss.

RESULTS: Though no group-by-time effects were found after weight loss, we observed significant time effects for: IAAT (-38.0%, P < 0.001), total cholesterol (TC) (-2.2%, P = 0.008), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) (-4.8%, P < 0.001), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) (+20.2%, P < 0.001), triglycerides (-18.7%, P < 0.001), TC/HDL-C (-16.3%, P < 0.001), and LDL-C/HDL-C (-18.0%, P < 0.001). Following weight loss, 40.2% of all participants reduced IAAT to < 40 cm (IAAT associated with low CVD risk). Furthermore, only 2.5% of participants had an IAAT > 110 cm (IAAT associated with high CVD risk) after weight loss. We also observed that decreases of IAAT were associated with decreased CVD risk factors after weight loss independent of race, changes in %fat mass and changes in maximal oxygen uptake.

CONCLUSIONS: Caloric restriction leading to significant weight loss with or without exercise training appears to be equally effective for reducing IAAT and CVD risk factors.