Effect of walking exercise on abdominal fat, insulin resistance and serum cytokines in obese women

Abstract

[Purpose]The purpose of the study was to investigate the effect of 12-week walking exercise on abdominal fat, insulin resistance and serum cytokines in obese women.[Methods]Following baseline measurements, obese women (N = 20) who met obesity criterion of BMI at 25 kg/m2 or greater were randomly assigned to the control (n = 10) or exercise groups (n = 10). Women assigned to the exercise group participated in a walking exercise (with an intensity of 50-60% of predetermined VO2max, a frequency of 3 days per week and duration of 50-70 minutes targeting 400 kcal of energy expenditure per session) for 12 weeks, while women assigned to the control group maintained their sedentary lifestyle. After the 12-week walking intervention, post-test measurements were conducted using the same procedure as the baseline measurement. Analyses of variance with repeated measures were used to evaluate any significant time by group interactions for the measured variables.[Results]With respect to body fat parameters, significant time-by-group interactions were found in the abdominal subcutaneous (p = < 0.001) and visceral adipose tissues (p = 0.011). The exercise group had significant reductions in both subcutaneous and visceral adiposity, and the control group had no significant changes in those parameters. Similarly, there were significant time by group interactions in fasting glucose (p = 0.008), HOMA-IR (p = 0.029), serum TNF-α (p = 0.027), and IL-6 (p = 0.048) such that the exercise group had significant reductions in those parameters, with no such significant changes found in the control group. The exercise group also had a significant increase in serum adiponectin (p = 0.002), whereas the control group had no significant change in the parameter.[Conclusion]In summary, the current findings suggest that walking exercise can provide a safe and effective lifestyle strategy against abdominal obesity and serum insulin resistance markers in obese women.

Efficacy of moderate-intensity walking provided feedback by ECE PEDO on abdominal fat in overweight and obese women: A randomized, exercise study

“…Whether the HR during the walking exercise reached the target HR was confirmed using the Polar heart monitor. [26] They found that the exercise led to significant reductions in both subcutaneous and visceral adiposities in consistent with our study. We believe that using a pedometer giving instant personalized audible feedback is simpler and user-friendly approach.…”

“…In the present study, we showed that 12-week walking exercise with the sufficient moderateintensity provided with the association between the HR and pedometer step counts resulted in the decrease in abdominal obesity. [14] Recently, Hong et al [26] investigated the effect of 12-week walking exercise on abdominal fat in obese women. The walking exercise was performed at the exercise intensity as 50 to 60% of VO 2 max.…”

Effects of frequency, intensity, duration and volume of walking interventions on CVD risk factors: a systematic review and meta-regression analysis of randomised controlled trials among inactive healthy adults

“…The outcome measures were aerobic fitness expressed as VO 2max (mL/kg·min), body mass (kg), body fat (%), BMI (weight in kilograms divided by height in metres squared), waist circumference (cm), waist-to-hip ratio, systolic and diastolic blood pressure (mm Hg), total cholesterol (mmol/L), high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (mmol/L), low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (mmol/L), triglycerides (mmol/L) and fasting glucose (mmol/L). Outcomes for insulin resistance and inflammation-related serum cytokines,45 blood flow in lower extremities,46 arterial stiffness,48 postural stability,42 bone mineral density42 and biomarkers of endothelial function49 were not included in the meta-analyses because of insufficient number of comparisons (<10) (see Higgins and Se54). …”

Comparable Effects of High-Intensity Interval Training and Prolonged Continuous Exercise Training on Abdominal Visceral Fat Reduction in Obese Young Women

“…The health crisis resulting from the adiposity that appears at these specific anatomical locations has been termed “metabolic obesity” [2]. The effective elimination of excessive abdominal fat in obese people through lifestyle modification and adjuvant appetite suppressants has been associated with reductions in fasting plasma glucose, triglycerides, and HOMA score [3]. Such beneficial effects on the parameters of metabolic syndrome induced by visceral fat reduction were more noticeable compared with those resulting from subcutaneous fat reduction [4].…”

“…There is robust evidence that high-volume, moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT) with exercise sessions ≥ 45 min can reduce abdominal visceral fat [3, 5–7] as well as improve body composition, cardiovascular fitness, and other health-related parameters including insulin sensitivity and lipid profile in both healthy and obese people [8, 9]. More recently, high-intensity interval training (HIIT), which consists of repeated high-intensity exercise bouts interspersed with passive/active recovery, was shown to induce similar metabolic adaptations associated with continuous training among healthy populations [10], as well as in patients with chronic diseases [11–13].…”