PHYSIOLOGICAL AREA   

Medicina dello Sport 2013 September;66(3):325-37

Copyright © 2013 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English, Italian

Effect of exercise training and detraining on serum leptin levels in obese young boys

Fazelifar S. ¹, Ebrahim K. ², Sarkisian V. ³ ✉

¹ Department of Physical Education, Ministry of Education, Amol, Iran; ² Department of Sport and Exercise Physiology, Faculty of Physical Education and Sport Science, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran; ³ L. Orbeli Institute of Physiology, NAS of Armenia, Yerevan, Armenia

Aim: The aim of this study was to examine the effect of a 12-week (3 days/week) concurrent training followed by a 4-week detraining on leptin levels in male obese young boys without dietary intervention.
Methods: The 24 obese young boys (body mass index >28 kg/m2, age=11-13 years) were randomly divided into two experimental (N.=12), and control (N.=12) groups. Experimental group (EG) received 12 weeks concurrent training (3 days/week). Control group (CG) received no exercise training during the study period, and tested before and after 12 weeks. Blood samples were collected in three stages (baseline, after 12 week’s combined endurance and resistance training and 4 week’s detraining in experimental group; baseline and after 12 weeks in control group).
Results: Independent-sample T test revealed that in experimental group after a 12-week concurrent training leptin levels and insulin concentrations significantly declined compared to control group (P<0.05). One-way ANOVA test for three different periods (baseline, 12 weeks and 16 weeks) revealed that there were significant differences between insulin and leptin in the experimental group (P<0.05). It was shown that at the end of 16th week (following a 4 week-detraining) insulin and leptin again significantly increased (P<0,05).
Conclusion: This study supporting a role of a 12-week (3d/wk) concurrent training on decrease of leptin and insulin in obese children. The results suggest that adaptations resulting from regular exercises following 4-week detraining can be reversible. It is recommended that overweight and obese children should be encouraged for regular participation in exercise training program.