This study aims to identify the effects of exercise type on estrogen, tumor markers, immune function, antioxidant function, and physical fitness in postmenopausal obese women. The subjects were 30 post-menopausal obese women with body fat percentage higher than 30%. Participants were divided into aerobic exercise group (n=10; age, 53.70±3.37 years), resistance exercise group (n=10; age, 52.20±2.15 years), and control group (n=10; age, 52.50±2.68 years). Estrogen and growth hormone showed no significant difference in the aerobic exercise group, resistance exercise group, and control group. Tumor marker alpha-fetoprotein was increased in the aerobic exercise, resistance exercise, and control groups (P<0.01). The metabolic syndrome risk factor was decreased in the aerobic and resistance exercise groups, which was shown by the reduction of weight (P<0.001), body fat percentage (P<0.001), waist circumference (P<0.05), and increase of high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (P<0.001). natural killer cell activity was increased in the aerobic exercise group, resistance exercise group, and control group (P<0.001). Oxidative stress was decreased in the aerobic exercise group, resistance exercise group, and control group (P<0.001). Maximum oxygen uptake was increased in the aerobic and resistance exercise groups, but aerobic exercise was more effective (P<0.05). Knee isokinetic extensor muscle was increased in both the aerobic and resistance exercise groups (P<0.001). Aerobic and resistance exercise of postmenopausal obese women can be considered an effective intervention program to prevent metabolic syndrome and improve physical fitness.

[Purpose] The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of lumbar stabilization exercise and sling exercise on lumbosacral region angle, lumbar muscle strength, pain scale of patients with chronic low back pain. [Subjects and Methods] The subjects of this study were 29 chronic low back pain patient women who were selected among participants in exercise class at K Region Health Promotion Center in South Korea and were randomly assigned to the lumbar stabilization exercise group (n=10), sling exercise group (n=10), and the control group (n=9). Both lumbar stabilization and sling exercise programs were executed for 60 minutes, three times a week, for 12 weeks. Before and after exercise we measured lumbosacral region angle (lumbar lordosis angle, lumbosacral angle, sacral inclination angle), lumbar muscle strength, and pain scale in all subjects. Two-way analysis of variance was conducted to analyze experimental data. In order to analyze the interaction effect, we conducted paired t-test before and after treatment. [Results] Lumbar stabilization exercise group and sling exercises group did not affect lumbar lordosis angle, lumbosacral angle and sacral inclination angle. Whereas the lumbar flexion muscle strength and lumbar extension muscle strength significantly increased in the lumbar stabilization exercise group and sling exercise group. The flexibility increased in the lumbar stabilization exercise group and sling exercise group. The pain scale decreased in the lumbar stabilization exercise group and sling exercise group. [Conclusion] Both lumbar stabilization exercise and sling exercises are useful therapeutic approaches to chronic back pain.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the risk factors of metabolic syndrome, cardiorespiratory fitness, knee isokinetic function, and osteoarthritis index inpatients with knee osteoarthritis women. Subjects were divided into the exercise group (n=9, aged 60.89±5.06), and the control groups (n=8, aged 61.25±1.91). Aquatic exercise was performed for 12 weeks, 3 times a week, 60 min a day. The changes of metabolic syndrome risk factors, cardiorespiratory fitness, knee isokinetic function, and WOMAC index (Western Ontario and McMaster University osteoarthritis index) were measured and analyzed at pre- and postexercise program for verifying exercise effectiveness. As a result, fasting blood glucose (P<0.05), glycosylated hemoglobin (P<0.01), and triglyceride (P<0.05) were significantly decreased in the risk factors of metabolic syndrome. The maximum oxygen uptake in cardiorespiratory fitness was not significantly different. The left and right extensor muscles of knee isokinetic function increased significantly (P<0.01, P<0.01, respectively). There was no significant difference in flexor muscles. Osteoarthritis index was significantly improved in stiffness (P<0.01) and physical function (P<0.05). In conclusion, aquatic exercise can be regarded as an effective exercise program for managing metabolic syndrome risk factors, increasing muscle function, and improving osteoarthritis index in patients with osteoarthritis of the knee.

This study aimed to determine the effects of resistance exercise and interval training on the visceral fat to skeletal muscle area, physical fitness, cognitive functions, and mental health in old women. The study was conducted among 30 older women enrolled in the National Fitness Center in Seoul. They were randomly sampled into the resistance exercise and interval training group (RI group: n= 10, aged 64.10± 3.35), the resistance and aerobic exercise group (RA group: n= 10, aged 65.20± 5.10), and the control group (n= 10, aged 63.20± 2.62). Twelve weeks of exercise involving 30-min resistance exercise followed by 30-min interval training or aerobic exercise, 3 times a week, were performed by each group. A computed topography was used to the measure visceral fat area and the thigh skeletal muscle area. For physical fitness, maximum oxygen uptake, knee isokinetics muscle functions, ankle range of motion, and functional fitness of the elderly (muscle strength, cardiorespiratory endurance, flexibility, balance, and agility) were measured. For blood test, the metabolic syndrome risk factors, growth hormone, testosterone, and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) were measured. A self-administered questionnaire was used to measure cognitive functions and quality of sleep. The 12-week RA and RI groups were effective in changing the thigh skeletal muscle area, IGF-1, knee joint extension and flexion, ankle range of motion, functional fitness, and quality of sleep. In conclusion, resistance exercise, followed by interval training or aerobic exercise, was effective in improving the skeletal muscle function indexes, physical fitness, and quality of sleep for the elderly. However, no difference was found between the two types of exercise.

Background/ObjectiveThe present study aimed to investigate the association between metabolic syndrome and cardiorespiratory fitness according to resting heart rate of Korean male adults.MethodsA total of 11,876 male adults aged 20–65 years who underwent health examinations from 2010 to 2015 at a National Fitness Centre in South Korea were included. Subjects' resting heart rate, cardiorespiratory fitness (VO2max), and metabolic syndrome parameters were collected. The subjects were divided into 5 categories (<60 bpm, 60–69 bpm, 70–79 bpm, 80–89 bpm, and ≥90 bpm) of resting heart rate for further analysis.ResultsWe found that elevated resting heart rate was positively associated with body mass index, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, triglycerides, and fasting blood glucose levels (p < 0.001, respectively); in contrast, elevated resting heart rate was inversely associated with VO2max (p < 0.001). When resting heart rate of subjects was categorized into quintiles and analysed, the results showed that the relative risk of metabolic syndrome was 1.53-fold higher (95% CI, 1.34 to 1.82) in the range of 60–69 beats per minute (bpm), 2.08-fold higher (95% CI, 1.77 to 2.45) in the range of 70–79 bpm, 2.28-fold higher (95% CI, 1.73 to 3.00) in the range of 80–89 bpm, and 2.61-fold higher (95% CI, 1.62 to 4.20) in the range of ≥90 bpm, compared to those <60 bpm; this indicated that as resting heart rate increased, the relative risk of metabolic syndrome also increased.ConclusionResting heart rate of male adults was found to be associated with cardiorespiratory fitness; the risk factors for metabolic syndrome and relative risk of metabolic syndrome increased as resting heart rate increased.