Purpose Sperm quality and function are reduced by environmental factors (e.g., obesity), leading to increased infertility worldwide. Therefore, the purpose of this review paper was to investigate the effects of obesity and exercise training on sperm quality and function in animal and human models. Methods In order to determine the effects of obesity and exercise on sperm quality, motility, morphology, testosterone, oxidative stress, inflammation, we reviewed previous literatures with MEDLINE, PubMed, and Scopus databases. Results The most important factor to control the sperm motility is calcium ion, which is performed by the protein of CatSper (Cation Channel of Sperm). Obese men showed the decrease of number, concentration, motility, and volume in sperm, resulting in delayed or failed fertility. However, regular exercise training increased sperm-mediated factors including number, motility, and morphology, and festicular function-mediated factors including sperm concentration and serum testosterone. Conclusions While obesity exacerbates sperm quality and function in men, regular exercise training with moderate intensity increases sperm number and motility and reduces oxidative stress and inflammation, leading to the improvement of men’s fertility.
PURPOSE This study sought to establish obesity diagnosis criteria by using the Body Volume Index (BVI) by body part extracted through 3D BodyScanner. METHODS The body fat percentage was measured using Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometer (DEXA) for 225 participants (male = 119, female = 106), and BVI for eight body parts was measured using 3D BodyScanner. Independent t-test and Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) analysis were conducted. ROC analysis calculated the Area Under the Curve (AUC), and the optimal cut-point by Youden's J index. Sensitivity, Specificity, Accuracy, Balanced Classification Rate (BCR), and F1-score (harmonic mean of recall and precision) values were calculated to verify the validity of the optimal cut-point. RESULTS A statistically significant difference was observed in BVI by body part according to whether obesity was present for both men and women, and the obese group higher than the normal group. The optimal cut-point for each body part to diagnose obesity was 7.96 for shoulder, 9.79 for chest, 7.15 for upper abdominal, 7.71 for lower abdominal, 14.89 for total abdominal, 9.79 for thigh, 5.70 for calf, and 74.96 for total body volume in men. In case of women, this was 6.04 for shoulder, 9.82 for chest, 4.96 for upper abdominal, 6.23 for lower abdominal, 11.63 for total abdominal, 8.88 for thigh, 4.05 for calf, and 58.15 for total body volume, and the accuracy was 0.6~0.9. CONCLUSIONS BVI is a useful indicator for diagnosing obesity. However, this can be applicable only to Asian adults since there may be differences depending on race or age.
PURPOSE High blood pressure and obesity pose significant health problems for older individuals. Previous studies showed that regular exercise improves physical fitness factors and decreases blood pressure and obesity. Therefore, this study investigated differences in blood pressure and obesity according to the physical fitness level of Korean older individuals using the National Fitness 100 data and used them to recognize the importance of maintaining physical fitness through regular physical activity or exercise for older individuals. METHODS From 2013 to 2019, a total of 218,848 subjects (men=74,271, women=144,577) aged ≥65 years who participated in the National Fitness 100 had their muscular strength, muscular endurance, cardiorespiratory endurance, balance, coordination, and flexibility measured, and they were ascribed a fitness level. Blood pressure, body mass index (BMI), percentage of bodyfat, and waist circumference were measured to compare the difference in fitness level. RESULTS There was a significant difference in the systolic and diastolic blood pressure in older men, and the diastolic blood pressure of older women by the fitness level (p<.001). In both older men and women, there was a significant difference in BMI, percentage of bodyfat, and waist circumference according to the fitness level (p<.001). CONCLUSIONS In conclusion, men and women showed different aspects in blood pressure, but Korean older individuals with having a high level of fitness managed their weight and body fat well. The decrease in obesity and improvement of physical fitness through regular physical activity and exercise could be a positive effect on maintaining health and extending healthy life years.
Purpose The aim of this study is to find how the pyruvate intake and aerobic exercise effect on the body composition, exercise performance ability, blood factor and obesity related hormone, and to verify the effect of pyruvate intake and aerobic exercise as an effective substance for obesity improvement. Methods This study selected 20 obese men in their twenties who has more BMI than 25kg/m2, and are applicable in 25% of the body fat, and randomly sampled group of 10 people for pyruvate intake and aerobic exercise (PYA), and 10 people for placebo intake and aerobic exercise (PLA). Intake of pyruvate and placebo was implemented for 10 weeks, 6 g a day, and aerobic exercise, treadmill exercise in the intensity of 50 ~ 60%’s target heart rate, was conducted for 10 weeks, 3 times a week, 60 minutes a day. To demonstrate the effect of pyruvate intake and aerobic exercise, all of the body composition, exercise performance ability, Lactate, and blood factor and hormone related to obesity were measured before and after the test in the same manner. Results The main results from this study are as follow; 1) In the case of body composition, in PYA, weight(p < .01), BMI(p < .05), body fat percentage(p < .01), and body weight without fat(p < .001) are reduced meaningfully. 2) In the exercise performance ability increased significantly in both PYA(p < .01) and PLA(p < .001) for V˙O2max, Also, in the case of distance during the exercise, PYA(p < .01) and PLA(p < .05) increased significantly in 15 minutes and PYA(p < .01) and PLA(p < .05) 30 minutes, but only in PYA from 45 minutes(p < .01) to 60 minutes(p < .05) 3) In case of Lactate, the significant decrease in PYA during stabilization and the significant increase in PYA after 30 minutes of exercise was not seen after 45 minutes 4) In the case of blood factor, HDL-C showed a meaningful decrease in PLA(p < .05) and Leptin showed a meaningful decrease in PYA(p < .001). Conclusions To sum up these results, it was more effective for the group of PYA which ingested pyruvate in improving obesity, even when the same aerobic exercise is conducted.
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.
The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship of obesity index, fitness and cardiovascular risk index in middle and high school students. Obesity index, fitness score and cardiovascular risk index were measured from 1,044 middle and high school students. The results of relation between obesity index and fitness showed that the higher obesity index had significantly lower fitness score for both boys and girls (boys: p<0.001, girl: p<0.05) The results of relation between obesity index and cardiovascular risk index indicated that the higher obesity index had significantly higher cardiovascular risk index for both boys and girls (boys: p<0.001, girl: p<0.001). Moreover, The lower fitness index showed significantly higher cardiovascular risk index regardless of gender in middle school students (boys: p<0.001, girl: p<0.01). Therefore, the results of this study indicated that obese adolescents had the lower fitness level and high possibility of cardiovascular risk.
This study was to performed to the effect of 8-week endurance exercise influences on body weight, glucose tolerance and ER-stress in soleus of 16weeks Rats fed High-Fat diet. Rats were randomly assigned to 3 group; (1)Sprague-Dawley Control diet (SD-Con/n=4), (2)High-Fat diet Control (HF-Con/n=4), (3)High-Fat diet Exercise (HF-Exe/n=4). Exercise group ran on the treadmill for 30min/day at the level of 21m/min for 5days/week during 8weeks. Results showed that body weight and glucose tolerance of the HF-Con group was remarkably increased(p<.05) compared to other groups. However, HF-Exe group significantly decreased body weight and glucose tolerance compared to HF-Con group. Moreover, level of GRP78, ATF6, PERK and IER1⍺, which are main proteins of ER-stress were significantly increased in HF-Con group higher than other group, whereas HF-Exe group significantly decreased the expression of GRP78, ATF6, PERK and IER1⍺. Taken together, these finding suggested that the reduction of the body weight, glucose tolerance and unfolded protein response by treadmill exercise may represent a positive adaptation protecting against high-fat diet-induced ER stress.
The purpose of the study was to determine relationship of abdominal fat, adipocytokine, bone mineral density, and bone turnover markers in obese male adolescents. Twenty four male adolescents (obese: 12, normal: 12) volunteered to participate in the study. Anthropometry and skeletal maturity were measured. Body composition and bone mineral density were estimated by DXA (Hologic, QDR-4500, USA). Abdominal fat with total adipose tissue (TAT), visceral adipose tissue (VAT), subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT), and visceral adipose tissue to subcutaneous adipose tissue ratio (VSR) were estimated by computed tomography (ECLOS, HITACH, Japan). Blood samples were obtained for and analysis of adipocytokines including leptin and adiponectin. Bone turnover markers, osteocalcin (OC), bone-specific alkaline phosphatase (BALP) for bone formation markers and N-terminal telopeptide (NTx), C-terminal telopeptide (CTx) for bone resorption markers were analysed. All data were analyzed utilizing SAS 9.3 (SAS Institute, NC, USA). Independent t-test was used to evaluate the differences between obese adolescents and normal adolescents. Pearson correlation analysis was applied to figure out the relationship between abdominal fat, adipocytokines, bone mineral density, and bone turnover markers. Multiple regression analysis was used to find out the factors of abdominal fat which influence on bone mineral density. A level of significance was set at p<.05. The results of the study indicated that fat tissue (p<.001), percent body fat (p<0.001), TAT (p<.001), VAT (p<.001), and SAT (p<0.001) were significantly higher in obese adolescents than normal adolescents. However bone mineral contents were significantly higher in normal adolescents. Normal adolescents have significantly higher whole body BMD and lumber BMD than obese adolescents. Abdominal fat including VAT and SAT related negatively with whole body BMD and lumbar BMD. Leptin related negatively with BMD whereas adiponectin related positively with BMD. NTx for bone resorption marker related positively with abdominal fat. Visceral adipose tissue was a predictor for whole body BMD and lumbar BMD in explaining 46% and 32% in adolescents. In conclusion, obese male adolescents have lower whole body BMD and lumbar BMD than normal adolescents. Abdominal fat including VAT and SAT related negatively with whole body BMD and Lumbar BMD. And leptin and adiponectin were closely related with BMD. Finally, visceral adipose tissue was a predictor for whole body and lumbar BMD in adolescents.
PURPOSE This study aims to investigate the effects of a 12-week equipment-based Pilates training on physical fitness, cardiovascular function, and vascular endothelial function in obese middle-aged women. METHODS Twenty-four women, aged 30-40 years with a body mass index ≥ 25 and percent body fat ≥ 30% were randomly assigned to one of two groups: the Pilates training group (TR; n=12); and control group (CON; n=12). The TR participants underwent three 50-minute equipmentbased Pilates training sessions per week for 12 weeks. Participants in the CON maintained their normal life patterns for the same intervention period. Variables regarding physical fitness, cardiovascular function, and vascular endothelial function were measured and compared pre-test and post-test u a two-way ANOVA with repeated measures. RESULTS The main results of the study were as follows: 1) Regarding physique and body composition, participants’ body weight, body mass index, fat mass, percent body fat, waist circumference, hip circumference, and waist-to-hip ratio decreased significantly in the TR. 2) Regarding physical fitness, muscle strength, muscular endurance, flexibility, and cardiorespiratory endurance increased significantly in the TR. 3) Regarding cardiovascular response, SV increased significantly in the TR. 4) Regarding vascular endothelial function, blood vessel diameter at rest and during vasodilation as well as blood flow volume during vasodilation decreased significantly in the CON, resulting in a significant interaction between group and test in FMD percentage. CONCLUSIONS It was concluded that the 12-week equipment-based Pilates program improved the physical fitness and vascular endothelial function in obese middle-aged women.
[Purpose] The study was designed to examine the effects of a 10-week sports climbing training on body composition and surrogate indices of major lifestyle disease in obese elderly women. [Methods] Twenty elderly women, whose percent body fat was over 35%, were randomly assigned into one of two groups, i.e., sports climbing training group (TR: n=10) and control group (CON: n=10). The subjects in TR completed sports climbing training program with 5.8 and 5.9 of difficulty, at 11-13 of ratings of perceived exertion (RPE), 60 min/session, three sessions/wk for 10 weeks. Independent variables regarding body composition and major lifestyle disease, i.e., hypertension, dyslipidemia, and atherosclerosis, were measured and compared between two groups as well as between two tests simultaneously using a repeated two-way ANOVA. [Results] Regarding physique and body composition, there were significant interactions between group and test in body weight, body mass index, fat mass, and percent body fat. These variables decreased significantly in TR. 2) Regarding indices of hypertension, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, mean arterial pressure, and pulse pressure decreased significantly in TR. Regarding indices of dyslipidemia, triglyceride decreased significantly in TR. Regarding indices of atherosclerosis, TG/HDL-C ratio decreased significantly in TR. [Conclusions] It was concluded that the 10-week sports climbing training would be beneficial for reduction of body fat despite its’ influence on fat-free mass was limited, and would also contribute on improving surrogate indices of hypertension, dyslipidemia, and atherosclerosis in obese elderly women. Future research investigating the effects of various period, intensity, duration, and frequency of sports climbing training would be warranted.
