Additional Metabolic and Vascular Effects of Exercise in Patients on Diet-based Weight Loss Programs

Effect of Weight Loss Through Dietary Energy Restriction With or Without Exercise on Vascular and Metabolic Parameters in Subjects With Obesity

This study tests the hypothesis that exercise training can confer additional benefit to patients in weight-loss programs in the form of improvements in either metabolic or vascular parameters or both. Patients will be randomized to either diet plus conventional physical activity or diet plus a planned exercise training. The interventions will be carried out until the patients lose between 5% and 7.5% of their initial weight. At entry and at the end, all subjects will be evaluated for outcomes such as blood glucose, lipid profile, insulin, c-reactive protein, fibrinogen, vascular reactivity (doppler ultrasound) and total and abdominal visceral fat (CT-scan). Both groups will be compared.

Inclusion Criteria:

• BMI> 30 and <40

Exclusion Criteria:

• Diabetes mellitus
• Active endocrine disease
• Active heart disease
• Active smoking
• Medical contra-indications for exercise
• Using anti-obesity drugs