Effects of a 16-week Resistance and Aerobic Exercise Intervention on Metabolic Syndrome in Overweight/Obese Latina Breast Cancer Survivors

Abstract

Abstract This randomized controlled trial was designed to assess the effects of a 16-week combined (aerobic and resistance) exercise intervention on metabolic syndrome (MetS) in overweight and obese Latina breast cancer survivors (LBCS). MetS is associated with increased risk of cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, and possibly cancer recurrence, and is defined by increased waist circumference (WC), elevated blood glucose (BG), high triglycerides (TG), low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL), and elevated blood pressure (BP). Methods. Forty LBCS (BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2) were recruited from the USC Lee Breast Clinic and Los Angeles County Hospitals. Participants were randomized to either the Control (CON; n = 20) or the Exercise (EX; n = 20) groups. Participants were tested for MetS outcomes including BP, WC, fasting levels of FBG, HDL, and TG at baseline, post-intervention, and 12-weeks post- intervention (EX group only). The EX group participated in aerobic and resistance exercise sessions 3 times a week for 16 weeks, supervised by an exercise specialist at the WHEL. Aerobic exercise included cycling, walking, or jogging at 65–85% heart rate maximum. Resistance exercise was performed in circuit-fashion with 3 sets of 10–15 repetitions including upper and lower body exercises at 65–70% 1-repetition maximum. The CON group was asked to maintain less than 120 min/week of exercise during the study period. Repeated measures ANOVA was used to test for statistically significant between-group differences in MetS. Results. There were no significant group differences in MetS between the EX and CON groups at baseline (P > 0.01). However, post-intervention, all MetS components were significantly lower in the EX group than the CON group (P < 0.01). Further, in the EX group, MetS at 12-week post- intervention was not statistically different from post-intervention (P > 0.01). Conclusions. A 16-week supervised resistance and aerobic exercise intervention attenuated MetS in overweight and obese LBCS. Further, reductions in MetS components were maintained following the completion of the intervention, suggesting that the benefits of the intervention on MetS were sustainable in the absence of a supervised intervention.