The association of body fat distribution with blood lipid levels and the effects of aerobic exercise

Numerous studies have shown that obese individuals have an increased risk for several metabolic complications and diseases. However, the relationship of obesity to cardiovascular disease (CVD) has remained controversial. It has been proposed that obesity may be a risk for CVD only in a specific subgroup of obese individuals. Waist to hip ratios (WHR) greater than 1.0 in men or greater than 0.8 in women have been established as levels at which the risk for CVD appears to increase greatly. Few studies have investigated the effects of intervention, such as exercise or weight reduction, on body fat distribution. In this retrospective study, data of 268 obese and nonobese subjects (104 women and 164 men) who had participated in an aerobic exercise program was evaluated. Various pre and post training anthropometric measurements and blood lipid concentrations were obtained for each subject. In the women, significant differences (p<0.05), between pre and post training were noted in the following variables: weight; percent bodyfat (%BF); body mass index (BMI); maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max); total cholesterol (TC); chest, abdomen and hip circumferences; triceps and subscapular skinfold; and WHR measurements. Pre-training WHR was significantly positively correlated with the pre-training TC (r=0.314), triglycerides (TG) (r=0.227) and total cholesterol to high density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio (TC/HDL) (r=0.269) levels. Post training WHR was significantly positively correlated with post training TG (r=0.256) concentrations.Change in training WHR was significantly positively correlated with change in TC (r=0.272) concentrations. Pre and post training WHR was inversely correlated with pre and post high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL) (r=-0.130, r=-0.084 respectively) concentrations, but not significantly. In the men, significant differences (p<0.05) were noted between pre and post training for all variables measured except for the chest to hip ratio (CHR). Pre-training WHR was significantly inversely correlated with pre-training HDL (r=-0.24) concentrations and was significantly positively correlated with pre-training TG (r= 0.334) and TC/HDL (r=0.251) levels. Post training WHR was significantly positively correlated with post training TC (r=0.157), TG (r=0.394) and TC/HDL (r=0.245). In the women's upper body obesity (UBO) subgroup, significant differences (p<0.05) were noted between pre and post training variables for the following: weight; %BF; BMI; VO2max; TC; abdomen and hip circumferences; subscapular skinfold and WHR measurements. Significant differences (p<.05) were noted for the women's lower body obesity (LBO) subgroup between pre and post training variables for the following: %BF, VO2max and abdomen and hip circumference measurements. Significant differences (p