Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Article
  • Published:

Body composition, energy expenditure and physical activity

Exercise training and/or diet on reduction of intra-abdominal adipose tissue and risk factors for cardiovascular disease

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 73, pages 1063–1068 (2019)Cite this article

Subjects

Abstract

Background/Objectives

To test the effects of weight loss with and without exercise training (aerobic or resistance) on intra-abdominal adipose tissue (IAAT) and risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD). Additionally, CVD risk factors was evaluated before and after weight loss using previously established IAAT cut-points.

Subjects/Methods

One hundred twenty-two overweight premenopausal women were randomly assigned to one of three groups: (1) diet only (Diet); (2) diet and aerobic training (Diet + AT); or (3) diet and resistance training (Diet + RT); until a BMI of < 25 kg/m2 was reached. Computerized tomography was used to measure IAAT and blood lipids were measured by assay. Evaluations were made before and after weight loss.

Results

Though no group-by-time effects were found after weight loss, we observed significant time effects for: IAAT (−38.0%, P < 0.001), total cholesterol (TC) (−2.2%, P = 0.008), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) (−4.8%, P < 0.001), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) (+20.2%, P < 0.001), triglycerides (−18.7%, P < 0.001), TC/HDL-C (−16.3%, P < 0.001), and LDL-C/HDL-C (−18.0%, P < 0.001). Following weight loss, 40.2% of all participants reduced IAAT to < 40 cm2 (IAAT associated with low CVD risk). Furthermore, only 2.5% of participants had an IAAT > 110 cm2 (IAAT associated with high CVD risk) after weight loss. We also observed that decreases of IAAT were associated with decreased CVD risk factors after weight loss independent of race, changes in %fat mass and changes in maximal oxygen uptake.

Conclusions

Caloric restriction leading to significant weight loss with or without exercise training appears to be equally effective for reducing IAAT and CVD risk factors.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Tchernof A, Després J-P. Pathophysiology of human visceral obesity: an update. Physiol Rev. 2013;93:359–404.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Williams MJ, Hunter GR, Kekes-Szabo T, Snyder S, Treuth MS. Regional fat distribution in women and risk of cardiovascular disease. Am J Clin Nutr. 1997;65:855–60.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Hunter GR, Kekes-Szabo T, Snyder SW, Nicholson C, Nyikos I, Berland L. Fat distribution, physical activity, and cardiovascular risk factors. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1997;29:362–9.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Liu J, Fox CS, Hickson DA, May WD, Hairston KG, Carr JJ, et al. Impact of abdominal visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissue on cardiometabolic risk factors: the Jackson Heart Study. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2010;95:5419–26.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Elffers TW, de Mutsert R, Lamb HJ, de Roos A, Willems van Dijk K, Rosendaal FR. et al. Body fat distribution, in particular visceral fat, is associated with cardiometabolic risk factors in obese women. PLoS ONE. 2017;12:e0185403

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Demerath EW, Reed D, Rogers N, Sun SS, Lee M, Choh AC, et al. Visceral adiposity and its anatomical distribution as predictors of the metabolic syndrome and cardiometabolic risk factor levels. Am J Clin Nutr. 2008;88:1263–71.

    CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  7. Ross R, Dagnone D, Jones PJ, Smith H, Paddags A, Hudson R, et al. Reduction in obesity and related comorbid conditions after diet-induced weight loss or exercise-induced weight loss in men. A randomized, controlled trial. Ann Intern Med. 2000;133:92–103.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Ross R. Effects of diet- and exercise-induced weight loss on visceral adipose tissue in men and women. Sports Med. 1997;24:55–64.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Janssen I, Ross R. Effects of sex on the change in visceral, subcutaneous adipose tissue and skeletal muscle in response to weight loss. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord. 1999;23:1035–46.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Janssen I, Fortier A, Hudson R, Ross R. Effects of an energy-restrictive diet with or without exercise on abdominal fat, intermuscular fat, and metabolic risk factors in obese women. Diabetes Care. 2002;25:431–8.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Idoate F, Ibañez J, Gorostiaga EM, García-Unciti M, Martínez-Labari C, Izquierdo M. Weight-loss diet alone or combined with resistance training induces different regional visceral fat changes in obese women. Int J Obes 2005. 2011;35:700–13.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Kohrt WM, Obert KA, Holloszy JO. Exercise training improves fat distribution patterns in 60- to 70-year-old men and women. J Gerontol. 1992;47:M99–105.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Schwartz RS, Shuman WP, Larson V, Cain KC, Fellingham GW, Beard JC, et al. The effect of intensive endurance exercise training on body fat distribution in young and older men. Metabolism. 1991;40:545–51.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Carnero EA, Amati F, Pinto RS, Valamatos MJ, Mil-Homens P, Sardinha LB. Regional fat mobilization and training type on sedentary, premenopausal overweight and obese women. Obesity. 2014;22:86–93.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Ho SS, Dhaliwal SS, Hills AP, Pal S. The effect of 12 weeks of aerobic, resistance or combination exercise training on cardiovascular risk factors in the overweight and obese in a randomized trial. BMC Public Health. 2012;12:704.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Després J-P, Lamarche B. Effects of diet and physical activity on adiposity and body fat distribution: implications for the prevention of cardiovascular disease. Nutr Res Rev. 1993;6:137–59.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Ross R, Rissanen J. Mobilization of visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissue in response to energy restriction and exercise. Am J Clin Nutr. 1994;60:695–703.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Keating SE, Machan EA, O’Connor HT, Gerofi JA, Sainsbury A, Caterson ID, et al. Continuous exercise but not high intensity interval training improves fat distribution in overweight adults. J Obes. 2014;2014:834865.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Hunter GR, Bryan DR, Wetzstein CJ, Zuckerman PA, Bamman MM. Resistance training and intra-abdominal adipose tissue in older men and women. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2002;34:1023–8.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Treuth MS, Hunter GR, Kekes-Szabo T, Weinsier RL, Goran MI, Berland L. Reduction in intra-abdominal adipose tissue after strength training in older women. J Appl Physiol. 1995;78:1425–31.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Williams MJ, Hunter GR, Kekes-Szabo T, Trueth MS, Snyder S, Berland L, et al. Intra-abdominal adipose tissue cut-points related to elevated cardiovascular risk in women. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord. 1996;20:613–7.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Kvist H, Chowdhury B, Grangård U, Tylén U, Sjöström L. Total and visceral adipose-tissue volumes derived from measurements with computed tomography in adult men and women: predictive equations. Am J Clin Nutr. 1988;48:1351–61.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Friedewald WT, Levy RI, Fredrickson DS. Estimation of the concentration of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol in plasma, without use of the preparative ultracentrifuge. Clin Chem. 1972;18:499–502.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Hellerstein HK, Franklin BA. Exercise testing and prescription. In: Wenger NK, Hellerstein HK, editors. Rehabilitation of the coronary patient. New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons Inc.; 1984, p. 197–284.

  25. Thomas EL, Brynes AE, McCarthy J, Goldstone AP, Hajnal JV, Saeed N, et al. Preferential loss of visceral fat following aerobic exercise, measured by magnetic resonance imaging. Lipids. 2000;35:769–76.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Hunter GR, Byrne NM, Sirikul B, Fernández JR, Zuckerman PA, Darnell BE, et al. Resistance training conserves fat-free mass and resting energy expenditure following weight loss. Obesity. 2008;16:1045–51.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Hunter GR, Brock DW, Byrne NM, Chandler-Laney PC, Del Corral P, Gower BA. Exercise training prevents regain of visceral fat for 1 year following weight loss. Obesity. 2010;18:690–5.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Millán J, Pintó X, Muñoz A, Zúñiga M, Rubiés-Prat J, Pallardo LF, et al. Lipoprotein ratios: physiological significance and clinical usefulness in cardiovascular prevention. Vasc Health Risk Manag. 2009;5:757–65.

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  29. Hunter GR, Fisher G, Bryan DR, Zuckerman PA. Weight loss and exercise training effect on oxygen uptake and heart rate response to locomotion. J Strength Cond Res. 2012;26:1366–73.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. Fisher G, Hunter GR, Gower BA. Aerobic exercise training conserves insulin sensitivity for 1 yr following weight loss in overweight women. J Appl Physiol. 2012;112:688–93.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the NIH grants R01 AG027084-01, R01 AG27084-S, R01 DK049779, P30 DK56336, P60 DK079626, UL 1RR025777. Clinical trial “Exercise training in obesity-prone Black and White women”, registration identification number NCT00067873. URL: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00067873.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Nutrition Sciences, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA

    Juliano H. Borges, Stephen J. Carter, David R. Bryan & Gary R. Hunter

  2. Growth and Development Laboratory, Center for Investigation in Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil

    Juliano H. Borges

Authors
  1. Juliano H. Borges
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Stephen J. Carter
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. David R. Bryan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Gary R. Hunter
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Juliano H. Borges.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Borges, J.H., Carter, S.J., Bryan, D.R. et al. Exercise training and/or diet on reduction of intra-abdominal adipose tissue and risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Eur J Clin Nutr 73, 1063–1068 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41430-018-0318-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41430-018-0318-4

This article is cited by

Search

Advanced search

Quick links