CHANGES IN ABDOMINAL FAT DISTRIBUTION WITH DIET AND/OR EXERCISE TRAINING IN TYPE 2 DIABETIC WOMEN.

Abstract

PURPOSE The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of a high-monounsaturated fat (HMF) diet treatment and an exercise and HMF diet treatment on the abdominal fat distribution of type 2 diabetic postmenopausal women. METHODS Seventeen type 2 diabetic postmenopausal women (age: 59.6±6 yrs, BMI: 32.9±4.1 kg/m2 were randomly assigned to one of two treatments: HMF diet (D) (n=7) or HMF Diet +Exercise (D+E) (n=10) for 14 weeks. Prior to and at the end of the 14 weeks, percent body fat (Bod Pod) and abdominal fat distribution (magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)) were measured. A 2x2 ANOVA with repeated measures was used for statistical analysis. RESULTS Subjects were matched for body weight (D: 87.9±17.3 kg, D+E: 87.0±11.7 kg) and percent body fat (D: 34.6±7.0%, D+E: 33.8±3.5%) at the onset of the study. Both the diet and diet+exercise treatment produced a significant reduction in body weight (D: −2.1±1.4 kg, D+E: −4.7±2.4 kg) and percent body fat (D: −3.9±0.3%, D+E: −4.3±0.27%). Furthermore, both treatments produced a significant reduction in total abdominal fat from pre to post (D: 13684±4847 to 13320±5416 cm3, D+E: 15464±3667 to 14123±3357 cm3, p < 0.05). No significant change was found in visceral fat and % visceral fat in either treatment, however, subcutaneous fat was significantly reduced from pre to post intervention in both treatments (D: 9163±3391 to 8790±3793 cm3, D+E: 9486±2560 to 8754±2374 cm3, p < 0.05). No differences between the two treatment groups were observed for any variable. CONCLUSION Regardless of the treatment, it was the weight lost that reduced total abdominal fat in type 2 diabetic postmenopausal women. The reduction in abdominal fat was due to a preferential reduction in the subcutaneous fat depot in both treatment groups. Supported by New York State Bridge Grant, EAS Research Grant from ACSM, and Woodrow Wilson-Johnson & Johnson Dissertation Grant in Women's Health.