Effect of an Eight-Week Period of Exercise on High Density Lipoprotein Concentration, Percent Fat, and Weight of College Female Athletes

The effect that exercise has on the HDL concentration in women has not been well investigated. Therefore, it was the purpose of this study to determine the different effects of exercise on HDL levels, percent body fat, and body weight between female collegiate varsity athletes and college age females enrolled in physical education service courses. The study was conducted during the spring of 1982. The subjects were all volunteers (N = 27) with an X age of 19.89. Eleven of the 27 subjects were varsity athletes; four were from the varsity track team and seven were from the varsity softball team. The remaining 16 subjects were non-varsity athletes, eight from a slimnastics class and eight others served as controls. The training program for the varsity consisted of a five day per week period of exercise for approximately 90 minutes of varying intensity. The slimnastics group had a moderate exercise period of 40 minutes twice a week. Duration of the experiment was eight weeks. Replicated pre- and post-test measurements involved high density lipoprotein concentration, percent body fat, and land weight. Blood samples were analyzed utilizing an ABA-l00 procedure for determining HDL concentration. Percent fat was measured by hydrostatic weighing and land weight was measured on certified scales. Data were analyzed using ANOVA and t-test for matched pairs. There were no significant differences between groups for any variables measured (p \u3e0.05). Within group significance for HDL was found for the track group (p \u3e 0.05). It is concluded from the results of this study that: 1) there was no significant difference between varsity and non-varsity females HDL following an eight week period of exercise, 2) there was no significant increase of HDL concentration following an eight week period of exercise, 3) there was a significant decrease of HDL concentration in the track group, 4) there was a significant decrease of percent body fat in the softball and slimnastics groups