Background and objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of six months of aerobic exercise on lipid profile, inflammatory markers, and risk factors of cardiovascular disease in middle-aged obese women.Methods: Fifteen obese woman (age range: 35 to 45 years) with BMI of ≥30 Kg/m 2 were enrolled via purposeful and convenience sampling. The participants were randomly divided into training (n=10) and control (n=5) groups. Blood samples (7 ml) were taken from all participants before the first training session and after the last training session. The women performed 60 minutes of aerobic exercise at 55-65% of heart rate reserve, three sessions a week, for six months. Data was analyzed using independent and paired t-tests and Mann-Whitney U and Wilcoxon tests at significance of 0.05.Results: After the six-month aerobic exercise, C-reactive protein, low-density lipoprotein, triglycerides, total cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein/total cholesterol decreased significantly. The exercise intervention also caused a significant increase in the concentrations of high-density lipoprotein and apolipoprotein A. Exercise, physical activity, and endurance training can act as therapeutic factors for patients with atherosclerosis (11). Recent studies show that regular exercise can lower LDL levels by 5% and subsequently increase HDL by 3 to 6% (12). Long-term exercise directly reduces CRP levels by decreasing cytokine production in adipose tissue, muscles, and mononuclear cells and increasing insulin sensitivity, all of which contribute to weight loss and improvement of endothelial function (13). In recent years, the protein component of lipoproteins has attracted the attention of researchers, and many studies have shown that serum levels of HDL and LDL depend on the production of ApoA and ApoB. In addition, ApoA and ApoB levels have a negative and positive correlation with risk of cardiovascular disease, respectively (14). Hence, this study evaluated the effects of six months of aerobic training on lipid profile, inflammatory markers, and cardiovascular risk factors in middle-aged obese women (with BMI of ≥30).
Conclusion
MATERIAL AND METHODSFifteen obese woman (age range: 35 to 45 years) with BMI of ≥30 Kg/m 2 were enrolled via purposeful and convenience sampling. After obtaining consent and completion of a health questionnaire, the participants were randomly divided into training (n=10) and control (n=5) groups. Exclusion criteria included drug use, menopause, smoking, and regular exercise in the last six months. First, anthropometric characteristics such as height, weight, and BMI of the women were recorded. Then, they participated in a briefing before the start of the training protocol. To evaluate the variables under study, fasting blood samples (7 ml) were taken from all participants in a sitting position before the first training session (pretest) and after complication of the last training session (post-test). The women performed 60 minutes of aerobic exercise, three sessions a week, for ...