An investigation of The Relationship between Serum Ghrelin Levels and Insulin Resistance Index In Inactive overweight Women After a Period of Pilates Exercise Training

Backgrond: One of the neuropeptides of the gut named, Ghrelin, has an important role in appetite control and body weight regulation. The present paper is devoted to an investigation of the effects of Pilates exercise training on serum ghrelin levels and insulin resistance index in overweight women.
A quasi-experimental study designed to achieve our purpose and 28 volunteer overweight women participated in this study. They were randomly divided into training (n=14) and control (n=14) groups. Pilates exercise training was performed during 12 weeks (3 sessions per week, 60 min. per session). Blood samples were collected in a fasting status and two stages, 48 hours before and after exercise. Within group data and between-group effects were analyzed with the paired t and the ANCOVA test, respectively.
Findings: It was observed a significant decrease in blood glucose (p=0.003), insulin (p 0.02) and insulin resistance index (p=0.007) and the levels of the serum ghrelin (p=0.03) in the exercise group compared with the control group (p≤0.05), albeit without any significant correlation between serum ghrelin levels and insulin resistance index )p≥0.05(.
These data revealed that 12 weeks Pilates exercise training, while significantly decreasing serum ghrelin levels, can be followed by weight loss and decrease in insulin resistance index in overweight women.