Effects of Aerobic and Resistance Exercise Training on Carotid Intima-Media Thickness in Abdominal Obese Women.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a 12-week aerobic and resistance training program on waist circumference (WC) and carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) in abdominal obese middle-aged women. Subjects were 40 middle-aged women with abdominal obesity (WC >85 cm) but no specific diseases. Subjects were divided into a combined exercise group (aerobic and resistance exercise) and a control group that did not participate in any lifestyle modification. Carotid variables were measured using B-mode ultrasound. A treadmill exercise test was conducted to directly assess the peak oxygen uptake (VOpeak). Differences in the carotid variables and relative changes between baseline and after 12 weeks were evaluated. After 12 weeks, body weight (70.6 ± 7.8 to 65.6 ± 6.3 kg,  < 0.05), WC (88.8 ± 3.6 to 85.6 ± 3.1 cm,  < 0.01), total cholesterol (215.5 ± 38.4 to 188.2 ± 25.8 mmHg,  < 0.05), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (150.5 ± 30.6 to 131.6 ± 22.3 mmHg,  < 0.05), triglycerides (164.5 ± 82.3 to 119.9 ± 60.6 mmHg,  < 0.01), VOpeak (24.2 ± 6.2 to 28.7 ± 4.4 mL/kg/min,  < 0.01), and CIMT (0.61 ± 0.13 to 0.58 ± 0.12 mm,  < 0.05) were significantly improved in the combined exercise group but not in the control group; changes in CIMT were associated with changes in WC decrease ( = 0.41,  < 0.01) and VOpeak ( = -0.53,  < 0.01). Combined exercise training in abdominal obese women decreased CIMT; these changes were also associated with reduced WC and improved VOpeak.