Resumo

ARANZALEZ, Luz Helena et al. The effect of aerobic exercise on serum adiponectin and leptin levels in postmenopausal females. rev.fac.med. [online]. 2011, vol.59, n.2, pp.95-102. ISSN 0120-0011.

Background. Body weight variations are usually accompanied by modifications occurring in levels of circulating adipokines, such as adiponectin and leptin. Women tend to gain weight during the postmenopausal period. Physical exercise is part of the recommended treatment for being overweight and suffering from obesity as it has effects on adipose tissue and cardiovascular risk factors. Objective. Determining the effects of controlled aerobic exercise on normal weight, overweight and obese postmenopausal females' serum adiponectin and leptin levels. Materials and methods. The impact of a supervised, controlled, physical exercise programme having moderate to vigorous intensity (75%-85% VO2máx) was established in a group of postmenopausal women having normal weight (group N) and another suffering from being overweight and/or obesity (group S). The programme involved four days a week and lasted for 16 weeks; weight, body mass index, body fat percentage and blood leptin and adiponectin concentrations were measured. Wilcoxon and Mann-Whitney tests were used for determining the statistical significance of differences between week 0 and 16. Differences were considered to be statistically significant when p<0.05. SPSS^® 11.5 statistical software was used for such analysis. Results. A reduction in weight, body mass index and body fat percentage following physical exercise was observed in group N, weight-loss being statistically significant (p<0.01). The reduction of three anthropometric variables in group S was statistically significant (p<0.01). Lower leptin levels were observed, only being statistically significant in group S (p<0.05). Adiponectin concentrations became increased in group S (not statistically significant). Conclusion. Although controlled aerobic exercise may have led to beneficially modifying both groups' weight, changes in circulating leptin levels were only observed in overweight women or those suffering from obesity. Modifications in adiponectin concentrations were not statistically significant.

Palavras-chave : leptin; adiponectin; postmenopause; exercise; body mass index (BMI).

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