THE EFFECTS OF LOW-VOLUME/MODERATE-INTENSITY AEROBIC TRAINING ON METABOLIC SYNDROME COMPONENTS IN MORBIDLY OBESE MINORITY ADOLESCENTS

Abstract

Despite the increased prevalence of obesity and associated diseases among pediatric minorities, the intensity-specific effects of aerobic training have not been examined extensively in adolescent minorities. Fifteen morbidly obese, sedentary and insulin-resistant Black and Latino adolescents completed two-months of low-volume/moderate-intensity aerobic exercise training to examine the effects of training on three phenotypes dysregulated in obese and physically inactive states: insulin sensitivity (SI); fibrinolytic potential, as indicated by plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1 (PAI-1) and tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) antigen levels; and chronic low-grade systemic inflammation, as indicated by C-reactive protein (CRP). In response to training, SI increased ~37% (1.00 ± 0.15 to 1.37 ± 0.26 mU.L^-1min^-1, p<0.05) and t-PA antigen levels increased ~15% (6.34 ± 0.51 to 7.32 ± 0.85 ng/mL, p<0.05). No significant changes in CRP or PAI-1 antigen were observed. Our findings demonstrate that aerobic training improves insulin sensitivity and fibrinolytic potential in morbidly obese minority adolescents.