The Effect of 8-weeks of Aerobic Exercise Training on Plasma Visfatin and Lipid Profile of Overweight Women

Document Type : Original Article

Abstract

Purpose: The wide prevalence of obesity and associated diseases around the world, makes identifying a 
method to reduce its risk factors and the complications in obese individuals an important area to research. The 
present study examined the effect of 8 weeks of aerobic exercise on the plasma visfatin and lipid profile of 
overweight women.
Material and Methods: 19 overweight females (mean age, 22±1.85 years, weight 77.4 ±10.35 kg, body 
mass index, 30.3±4 kilograms per square meter, waist to hip ratio 0.85±0.04 and fat percent 33.9±3.35)
volunteered to participate in the study and were randomly divided into 2 groups. 9 subjects were assigned to 
the aerobic training group (training 5 sessions per week, for 8 weeks. The first week began with the 65 percent 
of maximum heart rate reserve (HRR) and reached 80 percent of HRR in the eighth week). Ten subjects were 
assigned to the control group. Blood samples were collected at the beginning and end of the research to 
determine the changes in plasma visfatin levels and the lipid profile of the participants. Dependent and 
independent T-tests were used to analyze the data(P≤0.05).
Results: The T-test results showed that plasma visfatin and HDL levels significantly decreased (p=0.01),
while TG levels increased significantly in the experimental group (p=0.03). The weight and body mass index
of the experimental group were significantly lower compared to the control group (p≤0.05). Other variables
recorded did not change significantly in the groups.
Discussion and Conclusion:Training-induced weight loss and the eventual changes in the body 
composition of the experimental group had an important role in reducing the visfatin plasma levels.

Keywords

• Aerobic exercise trainig
• Visfatin
• Overweight women
• Lipid profile

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