Sex Differences In Leptin And Cardiometabolic Profile After Exercise Intervention In Obese And Hypertensive Adults

Abstract

PURPOSE: To analyse the change on leptin, body composition, blood pressure (BP), cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and some biochemical parameters in overweight/obese and physically inactive women (W) and men (M) with primary hypertension (HTN), and to evaluate the potential sex differences in the change after intervention. METHODS: Participants (n=37 women, n= 40 men, 52.9±6.9 yrs) from the EXERDIET-HTA study were randomized into attention control group (physical activity recommendations) or one of three supervised aerobic exercise groups (two days/week). All participants received the same hypocaloric diet. All variables were assessed pre and post-intervention. A blood sample (12.5 mL) was collected from each participant following an overnight fast to determine the biochemical profile and leptin values. 24-h ambulatory BP monitoring was used to analyze systolic and diastolic BP. A cardiopulmonary exercise test was performed to determine peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak). RESULTS: Following the intervention, there were significant increments (P<0.01) in CRF by VO2peak (W=21.1±3.7 vs. 24.6±4.4 mL·kg-1·min-1, M=26.3±6.0 vs. 33.1±10.2 mL·kg-1·min-1) and decreases (P<0.05) in leptin (W=49.5±23.0 vs. 41.8±19.9 ng/mL, M=20.5±14.8 vs. 12.9±18.6 ng/mL), body mass (W=84.7±12.1 vs. 80.3±11.5 kg, M=97.9±14.4 vs. 91.5±13.3 kg), waist perimeter (W=97.3±10.7 vs. 94.3±10.9 cm, M=107.9±8.7 vs. 101.5±7.9 cm), fat mass (W=42.3±5.1 vs. 38.6±8.4 %, M=31.2±5.0 vs. 28.0±4.4 %), systolic BP (M=136.5±12.1 vs. 129.3±12.5 mmHg), diastolic BP (W=76.2±8.9 vs. 74.1±8.7 mmHg, M=79.3±7.2 vs. 75.0±8.2 mmHg), total cholesterol (M=216.1±44.5 vs. 196.1±35.0 mg/dL), insulin (W=13.4±7.9 vs. 9.4±4.2 mU/L) values. There were significant between-sex differences in body mass (W=-5.2%, M=-6.5%, P=0.023), waist circumference (W=-3.1%, M=-5.9%, P=0.004), and VO2peak (W=14.2%, M=20.5%, P=0.036). CONCLUSIONS: Aerobic exercise along with a hypocaloric diet is an effective non-pharmacological intervention to induce beneficial changes in W and M in BP and leptin as a mediator of obesity-induced HTN, and other regulatory mechanisms such as body composition, CRF and biochemical profile. The found sex-related differences could confirm the need for individual non-pharmacological strategies.