Methods Male Wistar rats were divided into four groups: Sedentary (SD); Trained (TR); Sedentary diet (SDD) and Trained diet (TRD). Trained groups were submitted to physical preconditioning for 4 weeks. After that, the animals were treated with normal chow or cafeteria diet for further 8 weeks concomitantly with exercise. Training sessions consisted of run in a treadmill at intensity between 70–80% VO2max during 60 min, 5 days/week for 12 weeks. After an overnight fasting, rats were sacrificed and serum levels of triglycerides, glucose and plasmatic nitrite/nitrate concentration were measured by commercial kits. Insulin concentration was measured by radioimmune assay. Aortic artery rings were isolated and concentration-response curves to acetylcholine (ACh) in presence or absence of LNAME and Sodium Nitroprusside (SNP) in presence or absence of ODQ were obtained. The potency (EC50) and maximal responses (Emax) were determined. Expression of eNOS, nNOS and CuZn SOD were detected by Western blotting.