PURPOSE This study aimed to analyze the moderating effect of physical fitness on the relationship between abdominal obesity and metabolic syndrome (MetS) in older women. METHODS A total of 190 participants were categorized based on waisthip ratio (WHR) into high (50%) and low (50%) groups, as well as based on Z-score of fitness into high (25%; high fit), moderate (50%; moderate fit), and low (25%; low fit) groups. Logistic regression was used to assess the relative risk of MetS based on abdominal obesity and fitness levels, and moderation analysis using the Process macro was conducted to explore the moderating effect of fitness on the relationship between abdominal obesity and MetS risk factors. RESULTS After adjusting forcovariates, logistic regression showed that high WHR (odds ratio (OR)=2.721, p=0.004) led to a significantly higher risk of MetS compared with low WHR; the high fit group (OR=0.360, p=0.044) had a significantly lower risk of MetS compared wih the low fit group. Moderation analysis revealed that the impact of abdominal obesity on MetS risk factors varied depending on the level of fitness (β=-0.495, p=0.037), and the results remained significant after covariate adjustment (β=-0.458, p=0.049). CONCLUSIONS This study suggests that the risk of MetS from abdominal obesity can be mitigated by higher levels of physical fitness. These findings highlight the need for participation in regular physical activity to maintain a high level of fitness, along with proper nutritional intake, to prevent MetS in older women.
Purpose The study was designed to compare physical fitness, indices of lifestyle disease, and biochemical property of muscle according to sarcopenia and obesity in elderly women. Methods One hundred elderly women were alloted to one of four groups, i.e., sarcopenia+obesity (SO: n=20) group, sarcopenia (S: n=20) group, obesity (O: n=29) group, and normal (N: n=31) group. Criterion for sarcopenia was 'appendicular skeletal muscle mass (ASM)/height2<5.4 kg/㎡', and criterion for obesity was 'percent body fat>35%'. Dependent variables regarding physical fitness, lifestyle disease, and biochemical property of muscle were measured and compared among four groups. Results 1) Regarding daily living fitness, grip strength, upper arm flexion, sit-and-reach, up and go, and VO2max in SO group and S group were significantly lower than N group. Regarding isokinetic function, peak torque and average power in SO group and S group were significantly lower, and relative values to body weight in SO group and O group were significantly lower than N group. 2) Regarding hypertension, resting HR and RPP in SO group and O group were significantly higher than S group and N group. Regarding diabetes mellitus, fasting plasma glucose and HOMA-IR in SO group and O group were significantly higher than S group and N group. Regarding hyperlipidemia, HDL-C in SO group and O group were significantly lower than S group and N group. Regarding atherosclerosis, TC/HDL-C ratio and LDL-C/HDL-C ratio in SO group and O group were significantly higher than S group and N group. 3) Regarding biochemical property of muscle, IL-6 in SO group and O group were significantly higher than S group and N group. Conclusion It was concluded that physical fitness was declined in sarcopenia elderly, and that relative value of isokinetic function, indices of lifestyle disease, and inflammation markers were deteriorated in obesity elderly. Especially, the decline and deterioration of physical fitness and indices of lifestyle disease were even more severe in the elderly who had the both status. Therefore, the efforts should be made to prevent and improve sarcopenia and/or obesity.
Purpose The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of aerobic exercise intensity on body composition, health related fitness, and quality of life in elderly women. Methods 48 elderly women over 65 years of age without physical and mental problems were assigned to four groups: control group, low intensity, moderate intensity, and high intensity aerobic training group. The aerobic exercise group applied a heart rate reserve (HRR) to low-intensity group (HRR 40-55%), moderate intensity group (HRR 55-70%), high intensity group (HRR> 70%) for 12 weeks, 3 times a week for 20 minutes a day. Subjects of the control group were to maintain their usual lifestyles during the same intervention period. Body composition, health related fitness, and quality of life were measured and analyzed using repeated two-way ANOVA. Results The main results obtained in this study are as follows. 1) There was a significant decrease in sitting forward bending in the low intensity group and a significant increase in EQ-VAS. 2) There was a significant decrease in body weight, BMI, and 6 minutes walking in the moderate intensity group, and a significant increase in grip strength and EQ-VAS. 3) The high intensity group showed a significant decrease in weight, BMI, waist circumference, sitting forward bending, and 6 minutes walking, and a significant increase in grip strength, sit and stand, functional reach, and VO2max. On the other hand, there was no significant change in all variables in the control group. Conclusions In conclusion, aerobic training was found to be effective for body composition, health related fitness and quality of life in elderly women. In particular, it can be concluded that high intensity aerobic training is effective for health related fitness, and low and moderate intensity aerobic exercise is effective for improving quality of life.
Purpose The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of 16 weeks’ combined exercise training on insulin resistance, inflammatory markers, oxidative stress, leukocyte telomere length, body composition, and daily living fitness in elderly women with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM). Methods Twenty-eight participants were randomly assigned into one of two groups, i.e., exercise training group (EX: n=14) and control group (CON: n=14). Subjects in EX participated in 3 sessions of 60 min-combined exercise for 16 weeks, whereas subjects in CON were asked to maintain their normal life pattern during the same period. The variables regarding insulin resistance, inflammatory markers, oxidative stress, leukocyte telomere length, body composition, and daily living fitness were measured and compared between two groups as well as between pre-post test utilizing a repeated two-way ANOVA. Results Main results were as follows: 1) Fasting plasma insulin and HOMA-IR tended to decrease in EX, whereas increased significantly in CON. 2) IL-6, TNF-α, hs-CRP decreased in EX, but the changes were not statistically significant. 3) MDA increased significantly and GPx decreased significantly in both EX and CON. 4) Leukocyte telomere length increased significantly in EX. 5) Fat-free mass increased in EX, whereas fat mass and percent body fat decreased significantly in EX. 6) Arm curl, chair stand, sit & reach, tandem test, 10m walking speed, and up & go improved significantly in EX. Conclusion It was concluded that the combined exercise for 16 weeks had a positive effect on improving insulin resistance, increasing leukocyte telomere length, as well as enhancing body composition and daily living fitness in elderly women with type 2 diabetes.
