محمدعلی آذربابجانی

Background &

Obesity remains a significant health challenge in both developing and developed nations of the 21st century; predisposing individuals to various diseases. Inactivity and poor dietary habits are considered primary contributors to obesity.
Materials &

The study population included individuals who referred to the obesity clinic of Hazrat Rasool Akram located in Tehran; The inclusion criteria were women with body mass index above 35 and age 35 to 45 years, 32 of whom were included in the study by census method after obtaining informed consent. After measuring the physiological indicators such as height, weight, heart rate and blood pressure and obtaining consent to participate in the research, the subjects were randomly selected and assigned to four groups: Pilates exercise with probiotic supplement (8 participants), Pilates exercise alone (8 participants), supplement alone (8 participants), and a control group (8 participants). In this study, the effect of Pilates exercises and probiotic supplementation on the lipid profile of obese adult women was evaluated, therefore, because of having four experimental groups (1. Pilates exercise with probiotic supplement, 2. Pilates exercise, 3. Supplement, 4. Control), this research is a semi-experimental study with a pre-test and post-test design.

Pilates exercise was found to significantly increase high-density lipoprotein levels and decrease cholesterol, triglyceride, and low-density lipoprotein levels among participants. However, while probiotic supplementation did not significantly affect blood lipid concentrations, it did lead to reductions in cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein levels.

Overall, it can be stated that Pilates exercises can serve as a solution for obese individuals and for positive controlling of lipoprotein levels. As the exact mechanism of action of probiotic supplements on blood lipid metabolism is not clear, further research is needed to elucidate the action mechanism of probiotic supplements and their relationship with lipid profile levels in obese individuals.