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Int J Sports Med 2000; 21(5): 332-337
DOI: 10.1055/s-2000-3779
Physiology and Biochemistry
Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York

Adiposity, Lipid Levels, and Brief Endurance Trainingin Nonobese Adolescent Males

A. Eliakim1 , G. S. Makowski2 , J. A. Brasel3 , D. M. Cooper1
  • 1 Department of Research, Connecticut Children's Medical Center, University of Connecticut Health Center, Hartford, CT, USA
  • 2 Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, CT, USA
  • 3 Division of Pediatric Endocrinology, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, CA, USA
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Publication History

Publication Date:
31 December 2000 (online)

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Physical activity during childhood and adolescence may influence the development of childhood obesity and cardiovascular disease later in life. Research focused prospectively on the effects of training on lipid levels in nonobese subjects, and studies using noninvasive measurements of subcutaneous and intraabdominal fat are lacking. It was hypothesized in nonobese sedentary adolescent males that a brief endurance-type exercise training intervention would reduce body fat and improve lipid profiles. Thirty-eight healthy, nonobese sedentary adolescent males (mean age 16 ± 0.7 years old; 18 controls, 20 trained) completed a 5-week prospective, randomized, controlled study. Adiposity was measured using magnetic resonance images of the thigh and abdomen (subcutaneous abdominal adipose tissue [SAAT] and intraabdominal adipose tissue [IAAT]). Lipid measurements included serum triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC), HDL and LDL cholesterol. There was no change in body weight in either control or training groups. Training led to small but significant reductions in thigh fat (- 4.6 ± 1.5 %, p < 0.03) and SAAT % ( 1.7 ± 0.8 %, p < 0.02). There was no change in IAAT %. Unexpectedly in the control group there were significant increases in thigh fat (5.2 ± 1.7 %, p < 0.01), SAAT % (1.8 ± 0.6, p < 0.007) and IAAT % (4.5 ± 1.1, p < 0.0007). Training-induced changes in adiposity were not accompanied by changes in circulating lipids. In nonobese adolescent males a brief period of endurance training led to reductions in body fat depots without weight change while body fat increased rapidly in the control group. Exercise training did not change lipid levels, the latter may require more sustained alterations in patterns of physical activity.

Key words:

Fitness, cardiovascular risk, growth, development.

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Alon Eliakim,MD 

Child Health and Sports Center Department of Pediatrics Meir General Hospital

Kfar-Saba Israel

Phone: Phone:+ 972 (9) 7472134

Fax: Fax.+ 972 (9) 7425967

Email: E-mail:eliakim@internet-zahav.net

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