Short-term trajectories of exercise-induced plasma lipid changes in overweight females, with a focus on HDL-cholesterol

Abstract

Background. Increased levels of plasma lipoproteins are among some of the modifiable risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD). Dietary changes and increased physical activity are the most powerful non-pharmacological interventions for achieving optimal plasma lipid levels. Objectives. To investigate the effect of an intensive short-term lifestyle intervention on plasma lipid trajectories in overweight non-diabetic females. Materials and methods. A total of 202 healthy overweight (body mass index (BMI) >27.5 kg/m2) females underwent an intensive short-term (ten-week) intervention (at least 4 units of one-hour exercise activity weekly at optimal energy intake) aimed at lowering body weight. Plasma lipid (total cholesterol (TC), low-density-lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density-lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and triglycerides (TG)) levels were examined at baseline and every 2 weeks over the course of the ten-week intervention. Results. There was a significant decrease in BMI (Δ -4.7%, p < 0.001) and body weight (Δ -4.9%, p < 0.001) after the intervention. Positive changes (decreases) in TC (Δ -8%, p < 0.001), TG (Δ -9%, p < 0.001) and LDL-C (Δ -11%, p < 0.001) were observed immediately after 2 weeks, but levels did not decrease further thereafter. In contrast, HDL-C did not increase as expected: after 2 weeks of intervention, we observed a significant decrease of about 6% (p < 0.001) followed by a slow return to baseline values. But even after 10 weeks of intervention, HDL-C values had not reached the values detected at baseline. Conclusions. In overweight females, HDL-C decreased after short-term intensive lifestyle intervention. To confirm the protective effect of increased physical activity, plasma lipids need to be examined over a longer time period.