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Body Composition, Energy Expenditure and Physical Activity

Changes in phase angle and body composition induced by resistance training in older women

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 70, pages 1408–1413 (2016)Cite this article

Subjects

Abstract

Background:

Resistance training (RT) has selective effects on body composition that may counteract the deleterious effects of aging. Changes in phase angle (PhA) may serve to monitor the influence of RT in older people.

Objectives:

To describe the effect of RT in training, detraining and retraining on body composition, including PhA in older women.

Subjects/methods:

Thirty-three older women (⩾60 years old) participated. The RT program was carried out over 12 weeks for each stage (training, detraining and retraining). Whole-body fat-free mass and fat mass (FM) and appendicular lean soft tissue (ALST) measurements were carried out using a dual energy X-ray absorptiometry. Bioimpedance spectroscopy was used to estimate total body water (TBW), intra (ICF) and extracellular (ECF) fluids, whole-body resistance (R) and reactance (Xc) and PhA. Upper and lower body muscle strength were also assessed.

Results:

From baseline to after training muscle strength, ALST and PhA significantly (P<0.05) increased. In detraining, significant (P<0.05) reductions in muscle strength, TBW, ECF, ICF and PhA along with significant (P<0.05) increases in R were observed, with the greatest magnitude observed for PhA (Δ=−7.6%). From detraining to retraining a significant reduction in FM along with increases in Xc, PhA and muscle strength were observed. Although an increase was observed from detraining to retraining in PhA, the values were still lower than baseline PhA.

Conclusions:

In untrained older women, a RT is associated with increases in PhA, whereas detraining results in a marked decrease in PhA, and more time may be required in retraining to counteract the negative influence of absence of exercise stimulus.

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Acknowledgements

We wish to express our gratitude to all the participants for their cooperation in this study. LS and MA, conducted this work during a visiting scholar period to the Faculty of Human Kinetics, University of Lisbon, Portugal, supported by the Capes Foundation within the Ministry of Education, Brazil (Process: 88887.065407/2014-00 and process: 88887.090477/2014-00, respectively). DAS is supported by a scholarship from the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (SFRH/BPD/92462/2013).

Author contributions

LBS: study concept and design. DS: acquisition of subjects and data analysis. All authors: data analysis, interpretation and preparation of the paper. Sponsor’s Role: No study sponsors had any role in the study design, conduct of the study, data collection, data interpretation or preparation of the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Study and Research Group in Metabolism, Nutrition and Exercise GEPEMENE, State University of Londrina—UEL, Londrina, Brazil

    L dos Santos, E S Cyrino & M Antunes

  2. Department of Sports and Health, Exercise and Health Laboratory, CIPER, Faculdade de Motricidade Humana, Universidade de Lisboa, Cruz-Quebrada, Portugal

    D A Santos & L B Sardinha

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  1. L dos Santos
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  2. E S Cyrino
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  3. M Antunes
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  4. D A Santos
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Correspondence to L B Sardinha.

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dos Santos, L., Cyrino, E., Antunes, M. et al. Changes in phase angle and body composition induced by resistance training in older women. Eur J Clin Nutr 70, 1408–1413 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1038/ejcn.2016.124

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