Regular aerobic exercise, without weight loss, improves endothelium-dependent vasodilation in overweight and obese adults

Abstract

Lifestyle modification in the form of weight reduction by caloric restriction alone or in combination with regular aerobic exercise significantly improves endothelium-dependent vasodilation in overweight and obese adults. We determined whether regular aerobic exercise, independent of weight loss, improves endothelium-dependent vasodilation in overweight and obese adults. Twenty overweight and obese adults (age 53 +/- 1 years; BMI: 30.2 +/- 0.8 kg/m(2)) were studied before and after a 3-month aerobic exercise training intervention. Forearm blood flow (FBF) responses were determined (via plethysmography) in response to intra-arterial infusion of acetylcholine and sodium nitroprusside. There were no changes in body mass or composition with the intervention. FBF responses to acetylcholine were approximately 35% higher (P < 0.01) after (4.1 +/- 0.9 to 14.7 +/- 4.3 ml/100 ml tissue/min) compared with before (4.2 +/- 0.8 to 11.0 +/- 3 ml/100 ml tissue/min) exercise training. FBF responses to sodium nitroprusside were unchanged. These results indicate that regular aerobic exercise improves endothelium-dependent vasodilation in overweight and obese adults, independent of changes in body mass or composition.