The effect of aerobic and resistance trainings on serum C- Reactive Protein, lipid profile and body composition in overweight women

The spread of cardio-vascular diseases have an inflammatory background and systemic inflammation has the key role in the development of atherosclerosis and this factor may specially increase cardiovascular problems in overweight and obese people. The present study aimed at examining the effects of resistance and aerobic trainings on C reactive protein (CRP), lipid profile, and body composition in overweight women. 45 healthy premenopausal women participated in the study and they were randomly classified into three groups: control group (n=15), resistance training (n=15), and aerobic training (n=15). Aerobic training was carried out for 8 weeks, 4 sessions per week at 65-80 percent of maximal reserved heart rate. Duration of each session was 16 minutes in the first week and it increased up to 30 minutes in the 8th week of exercise. Resistant training also carried out for 8 weeks at 50-65 percent of 1RM. These trainings were performed 4 sessions per week and each session lasted 50 minutes. Serum level of CRP, lipid profiles including TC, TG, LDL-C, HDL-C and body mass index of the participants were assessed before and 48 hours after trainings. The obtained data was analyzed by the ANOVA and Tukey test at the significant level P<0.05. Percent body fat/ PBF, (P=0.01) and waist to hip ratio/ WHR, (P<0.001) decreased significantly and maximum volume of oxygen utilization /Vo2max increased significantly (P<0.001) in both aerobic and resistance groups compared to the control group, while, CRP (P=0.01) decreased significantly in the resistant group compared to the control. However, CRP in aerobic group (P=0.33) and TG, TC, HDL-C and LDL-C had no significant changes (P>0.05) in the training groups in comparison with the control group. Although 8 weeks of both aerobic and resistance trainings did not affect the lipid profile of premenopausal overweight women compared to the control group, it decreased CRP in resistance group significantly rather than control group and also decreased PBF, WHR and improved Vo2max significantly in both groups in comparison with the control group.