The effect of eight weeks of walking on insulin resistance and blood plasma protein carbonyl in sedentary postmenopausal women

The chronic effects of arobic exercise on insulin resistance and protein carbonyl in sedentary postmenopausal women is contradictory. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of eight weeks of walking on blood plasma protein carbonyl in sedentary postmenopausal women.

In this semi-quasi study, 24 elderly women in the Shiraz city with an average age of 59.65±4.94 years and weight 78.64±5.37 kg after completion of informed consent were randomly divided into two groups of experimental and control (n=12). Exercise was held three times a week for eight weeks at 45 percent of maximum heart rate for 25 minutes in the first to three weeks, 55 percent of maximum heart rate for 35 minutes per week in fourth to sixth weeks, and 65 percent of maximum heart rate for 45 minutes in seventh and eighth weeks in the experimental group. Subjects were asked to follow their usual diet during the study period and refrain from changing the diet. The control group was asked to do not participate in any formal exercise program. Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) test was used for statistical analysis of data (p≤0.05).

The findings of this study showed that eight weeks of walking was increased significantly protein carbonyl (p= 0.005, F= 10.242). After eight weeks of walking plasma level of fasting blood glucose (p=0.05, F=24.925), insulin (p=0.007, F=3.611), insulin resistance (p=0.023, F=12.54), body mass index (p=0.000, F=124.818) and fat percentage (p=0.000, F=162.152) were significantly decreased.

In general, eight weeks walking leads to decrease in insulin resistance and body fat and increase in protein carbonyl in sedentary postmenopausal women.