The effect of five months’ exercise program on the visceral fat and the brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity in middle-age and elderly

Abstract

A parameter of arteriosclerosis, the brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV), is associated with the visceral fat level. This relationship is emphasized. However, few studies have examined this parameter with respect to the visceral fat level measured using a simple procedure. In this study, we investigated changes in the visceral fat distance (VFD) determined employing abdominal ultrasonography and baPWV before and after participation in an exercise program for the middle-aged to elderly.
The subjects consisted of 11 males (66.6±9.2 years) and 36 females (62.6±6.7 years), aged 40 to 79 years, who participated in the program held at our university. Exercise intervention was performed for 5 months. Physical measurement, blood pressure measurement, blood biochemistry, and baPWV/VFD measurement were conducted before and after intervention.
Participation in the program significantly decreased the body weight, waist circumference, BMI, systolic blood pressure, and levels of total cholesterol, neutral fat, blood sugar, and free fatty acids. The HDL cholesterol level significantly increased. The baPWV for the left and right sides and VFD significantly improved.
In the middle-aged to elderly subjects, an improvement was achieved by increasing the physical activity level.