American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol 63, 225-233, Copyright © 1996 by The American Society for Clinical Nutrition, Inc

ORIGINAL RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS

Effects of diet and exercise on common cardiovascular disease risk factors in moderately obese older women

AA Fox, JL Thompson, GE Butterfield, U Gylfadottir, S Moynihan and G Spiller
Aging Study Unit, Geriatrics Research, Education, and Clinical Center, Veterans Affairs Health Care System, Palo Alto, CA 94304, USA.

Diet and exercise studies of premenopausal women have shown reductions in obesity and other cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors. Forty- one healthy, moderately obese (120-140% of ideal body weight, LBW), postmenopausal women (65.6 +/- 3.3 y) participating in 24-wk diet or diet + exercise programs were studied to determine whether similar CVD risk reduction would occur. Daily energy need (DEN) was estimated from basal energy expenditure and self-reported activity. The diet + exercise group (n = 16) reduced their daily energy intake (DEI) by 2092 kJ from their DEN and expended 837 kJ/d in walking and resistance exercise. The two diet-only groups (n = 13 and n = 12) reduced their DEI by 2092 and 2929 kJ from their DEN, respectively. Body weight, waist-to-hip and subscapula-to-triceps ratios, blood lipids (total, low- density-lipoprotein, and high-density-lipoprotein cholesterol, and triacylglycerols), glucose, and insulin concentrations were measured at baseline and after 12 and 24 wk of diet and diet + exercise. Data were analyzed by using analysis of variance with repeated measures (P < or = 0.05) and Tukey's post hoc test. Loss of body weight was significant for all groups between baseline and 12 and 24 wk (baseline: 79.3 +/- 7.6 kg; 12 wk; 75.1 +/- 7.7 kg; 24 wk; 72.8 +/- 8.0 kg) but did not differ among groups. No significant time or treatment effects were observed between baseline and 24 wk for changes in mean blood lipid, glucose, and fasting insulin concentrations or measures of body fat distribution. Although 24 wk of diet or diet+exercise significantly reduced body weight in this group, this loss in body weight was not accompanied by a reduction of other commonly accepted CVD risks.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				J. S. Gavaler and E. Rosenblum Predictors of Postmenopausal Body Mass Index and Waist Hip Ratio in the Oklahoma Postmenopausal Health Disparities Study J. Am. Coll. Nutr., August 1, 2003; 22(4): 269 - 276. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				B. J. Nicklas, K. E. Dennis, D. M. Berman, J. Sorkin, A. S. Ryan, and A. P. Goldberg Lifestyle Intervention of Hypocaloric Dieting and Walking Reduces Abdominal Obesity and Improves Coronary Heart Disease Risk Factors in Obese, Postmenopausal, African-American and Caucasian Women J. Gerontol. A Biol. Sci. Med. Sci., February 1, 2003; 58(2): M181 - 189. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. C. Nieman, D. W. Brock, D. Butterworth, A. C. Utter, and C. C. Nieman Reducing Diet and/or Exercise Training Decreases the Lipid and Lipoprotein Risk Factors of Moderately Obese Women J. Am. Coll. Nutr., August 1, 2002; 21(4): 344 - 350. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				I. Janssen, A. Fortier, R. Hudson, and R. Ross Effects of an Energy-Restrictive Diet With or Without Exercise on Abdominal Fat, Intermuscular Fat, and Metabolic Risk Factors in Obese Women Diabetes Care, March 1, 2002; 25(3): 431 - 438. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. Chernoff Nutrition and Health Promotion in Older Adults J. Gerontol. A Biol. Sci. Med. Sci., October 1, 2001; 56(90002): 47 - 53. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				P. S. Gartside, P. Wang, and C. J. Glueck Prospective Assessment of Coronary Heart Disease Risk Factors: The NHANES I Epidemiologic Follow-up Study (NHEFS) 16-Year Follow-up J. Am. Coll. Nutr., June 1, 1998; 17(3): 263 - 269. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. L. Thompson, G. E. Butterfield, U. K. Gylfadottir, J. Yesavage, R. Marcus, R. L. Hintz, A. Pearman, and A. R. Hoffman Effects of Human Growth Hormone, Insulin-Like Growth Factor I, and Diet and Exercise on Body Composition of Obese Postmenopausal Women J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., May 1, 1998; 83(5): 1477 - 1484. [Abstract] [Full Text]