Association of Weekly Frequency of Exercise Participation with Body Composition and Inflammatory Markers in Korean Women

Kim, Kijin; Kim, Sanghyun

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Recent studies have demonstrated the effects of nutrition, hormone and exercise type in modulating lipid metabolism during exercise. However, there is no study of relationship between exercise frequency and inflammatory markers until recent. The aim of the current study was to examine the association of weekly frequency of exercise participation with body composition and inflammatory markers in Korean women.
METHODS
We studied 58 Korean women who volunteered in a health promotion program. Subjects were divided into 2 groups as active (n = 31, above 3 days/week) and non-active (n = 27, 1~2 days/week) group based upon frequency of exercise participation during 3 months. We measured anthropometric factors (BMI, Percent body fat, WHR, and Abdominal fat area by CT scanning), BP, physical fitness, blood levels of glucose, lipids, fibrinogen, CRP, leptin, HbA1c and carotid intimamedia thickness (IMT: via ultrasonography). Statistical analysis was performed by 2 way repeated ANOVA for group and time, and paired t-test was used to assess differences between pre and post-test in individual groups as post hoc. Significance was accepted at P < 0.05.
RESULTS
The measures of basic adiposity (Body weight, BMI, Percentage of body fat, Waist circumference) and blood leptin level were significantly (P < 0.05) decreased after exercise program in both groups. WHR, blood glucose, TG, CRP, and thigh fat area in active group were significantly (P < 0.05) decreased after exercise program, but non-active group showed no significant difference between pre and post-test in these items. A most part of skinfold thickness except for abdomen were significantly (P < 0.05) decreased after exercise program in both groups. Active group was significantly (P < 0.05) increased PEI, grip strength, sit-up, and sit and reach after exercise program, whereas non-active group was significantly (P < 0.05) increased grip strength, and sit and reach after exercise program. Visceral fat area no significantly changed after exercise program in both groups, so it may be a difficult to decrease for visceral fat through exercise program in women.
CONCLUSION
Although regular exercise participation has a positive effects of body composition in adult women, active participation above 3 days per week should perform for protection against development of metabolic syndrome and a significant improvement of physical fitness in adult women.