Effect of 12 Weeks of Aerobic Training on Liver Enzymes, Thyroid Hormones, and Anthropometric Indices of Obese Children

Fatty liver is one of the chronic liver disorders associated with lipid accumulation in hepatocytes. Hypothyroidism deficiency has been identified as a factor for non-alcoholic fatty liver development due to its important role in fat metabolism.

This study was conducted to determine the effects of aerobic exercise on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, hypothyroidism, and anthropometric indices.

Twenty-four obese children were randomly divided into two groups of control (n = 12) and experiment (n = 12). Aerobic exercise was done for 12 weeks. Before and after the training period, we measured the levels of liver enzymes (ALP, AST, and ALT), thyroid hormones (T3, T4, and TSH), and several key anthropometric indices. Liver ultrasonography was done, as well.

Aerobic training for 12 weeks significantly reduced the levels of thyroid hormones TSH (P = 0.023) and T4 (P = 0.002), liver enzymes ALT (P = 0.002), AST (P = 0.003), and ALP (P = 0.047), and anthropometric indices BMI (P = 0.001) and WC (P = 0.043) and increased the level of T3 (P = 0.011) in the experimental group.

Aerobic training is recommended as a weight control intervention for obese children. It can provide a non-medical strategy in the treatment of NAFLD and hypothyroidism.