Effects of a very low-carbohydrate high-fat diet and high-intensity interval training on visceral fat deposition and cardiorespiratory fitness in overfat individuals: A randomized controlled clinical trial

Purpose: This randomized controlled parallel-group study examined the effects of a very low-carbohydrate high-fat (VLCHF) diet and high-intensity interval training (HIIT) program over 12 weeks on visceral adipose tissue (VAT) and cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) level in overfat individuals.Methods: Ninety-one participants were randomly allocated to the HIIT (N = 22), VLCHF (N = 25), VLCHF+HIIT (N = 25), or control (N = 19) groups for 12 weeks. Body composition and CRF were analyzed before the experimental period and after 4, 8, and 12 weeks. Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and graded exercise test (GXT) to volitional exhaustion were used for the body composition and CRF assessments, respectively.Results: There were significant between-group differences in the VAT mass and body composition outcome changes. VAT mass decreased after 12 weeks only in the VLCHF and VLCHF+HIIT groups (p < 0.001, median [95% CI]: VLCHF: -142.0 [-187.0; -109.5] g; VLCHF+HIIT: -104.0 [-135.0; -71.0] g). Similarly, changes in body mass, total body fat, trunk fat mass, waist and hip circumferences were distinctly decreased in the VLCHF and VLCHF+HIIT groups, when compared to HIIT and Control groups. Total lean mass significantly decreased in the VLCHF and VLCHF+HIIT groups (-2.1 [-3.0; -1.6] kg and -2.5 [-3.6; -1.8] kg, respectively) after 12 weeks. While the HIIT program significantly increased total time to exhaustion in the GXT, peak oxygen uptake was unchanged.Conclusions: A VLCHF diet, either in isolation or in combination with HIIT, was shown to induce a significant reduction in VAT mass and body composition variables. HIIT alone did not cause such effects on body composition, but improved exercise capacity. Our findings indicate that the VLCHF diet and exercise training provoked different and isolated effects on body composition and CRF.Web of Science8art. no. 78569

Very low-carbohydrate high-fat diet improves risk markers for cardiometabolic health more than exercise in men and women with overfat constitution: Secondary analysis of a randomized controlled clinical trial

Purpose: This randomized controlled parallel-group study examined the effects of a very low-carbohydrate high-fat (VLCHF) diet and high-intensity interval training (HIIT) program over 12-weeks on cardiometabolic risk factors in individuals with overfat constitution. Methods: Ninety-one participants out of 109 completed the study. The participants were randomly allocated to the HIIT (N = 22), VLCHF (N = 25), VLCHF+HIIT (N = 25), or control (N = 19) groups for 12 weeks. Fasting plasma samples were collected before the intervention and after 4 and 12 weeks. The analyzed outcomes included complete blood count, glucose, insulin, glycated hemoglobin, triglycerides (TG), cholesterol, high- and low-density lipoprotein (HDL-C and LDL-C), lipoprotein(a), adiponectin (Adpn), leptin (Lep), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha), other interleukins (hs-IL-6, IL-1 beta, and IL-10), and IL-1RA. The homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), Adpn/Lep ratio, TG/HDL-C ratio, and TyG index were calculated and analyzed. Blood pressure was measured before the intervention, after 4, 8, and 12 weeks (: NCT03934476). Results: Absolute changes in HOMA-IR, Adpn/Lep ratio, LDL-C, and diastolic blood pressure after 12 weeks differed by study groups (p < 0.05). The most pronounced changes were revealed in the VLCHF (& UDelta;M [95% CI]; HOMA-IR: -0.75 [-1.13; -0.55]; Adpn/Lep: 9.34 [6.33; 37.39]; LDL-C: 0.06 [-0.12; 0.50] mmol/l) and VLCHF+HIIT (HOMA-IR: -0.44 [-1.14; 0.12]; Adpn/Lep: 4.26 [2.24; 13.16]; LDL-C: 0.25 [-0.04; 0.50] mmol/l) groups. Conclusions: A 12-week VLCHF diet intervention in individuals with overfat constitution is effective for favorable changes in HOMA-IR (compared to HIIT), Adpn/Lep ratio, and diastolic blood pressure. HIIT, or HIIT combined with the VLCHF diet, had no additional benefits for the analyzed variables. No adverse side effects were observed.Web of Science9art. no. 86769

The Prevalence of Overfat Adults and Children in the US

The overfat condition is defined as excess body fat sufficient to impair health. The problem exists in most overweight and obese individuals and can also occur in those who are normal-weight and non-obese, often due to excess abdominal fat. Despite previous indications that the prevalence overweight and obesity is leveling, these conditions are currently at their highest levels in US history. Our review estimated the number of overfat Americans at 91% for adults and 69% for children. The primary purpose of this review was to build upon previous estimations of overfat prevalence in developed countries by using new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to estimate the overfat prevalence in American adults (≥20 years) and children (2–19 years), and to expand the definition of overfat as excess body fat associated with at least one additional risk factor of impaired cardiometabolic or physical health. The secondary goals are to highlight the role of dietary sugar as a primary cause of the overfat pandemic and mention new data showing the increased prevalence of exercise that parallels the rising prevalence of overfat to further emphasize the secondary role exercise may play in fat loss. Current public health guidelines to address the overfat pandemic may require more emphasis on reducing the consumption of refined carbohydrates, including added sugars

Overfat Adults and Children in Developed Countries: The Public Health Importance of Identifying Excess Body Fat

The global overfat pandemic is a serious public health crisis that places a substantial burden on economic resources in developed countries. The term overfat refers to the presence of excess body fat that can impair health, even for normal weight non-obese individuals. Excess body fat is associated with cardiometabolic dysfunction, a clinical situation that can progressively worsen, potentially leading to various common disease risk factors, chronic diseases, increased morbidity and mortality, and reduced quality of life. The prevalence of overfat populations in 30 of the world’s most developed countries is substantially higher than recent global estimations, with the largest growth due to a relatively recent increased number of people with excess abdominal fat. Abdominal overfat is the most unhealthful form of this condition, so it is concerning that average waist circumference measures, generally indicative of abdominal overfat, have increased. Despite a leveling off appearance of being overweight and/or obese in some developed countries, the overfat pandemic continues to grow

The Boston Marathon versus the World Marathon Majors

<div><p>The Boston Marathon course is deemed ineligible for world record status due to its unidirectional nature and excessive negative elevation change, yet performance times across the World Marathon Majors (WMM) races have not been compared.</p><p>Purpose</p><p>To compare finish times across WMM races for Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago and New York Marathons.</p><p>Methods</p><p>Race times of the top 10 male and 10 female finishers were analyzed from 2005 to 2014 using the high-performance mixed linear model procedure in the Statistical Analysis System. Venue-to-venue comparisons, as well as comparisons between Boston and other WMM races, with and without factors of temperature, humidity and altitude change were examined.</p><p>Results</p><p>Performance from 2005 to 2014 in the WMM races was found to improve at a rate of ~1% each 7 years. Despite its higher variability, comparison between Boston’s estimated mean finishing time and all other venues revealed moderate positive differences, indicating the Boston event to be typically slower than other venues.</p><p>Conclusions</p><p>Across the 10-year study period, performance times improved ~1% each 7 years for both genders for the WMM, with the Boston Marathon being slower on average than other WMM venues. Weather rather than course metrics appeared to impact performance times most.</p></div

Course elevation profiles for Boston (BOS), London (LON), Berlin (BER), Chicago (CHI) and New York (NYC) Marathons.

<p>Course elevation profiles for Boston (BOS), London (LON), Berlin (BER), Chicago (CHI) and New York (NYC) Marathons.</p

Fastest World Marathon WMM locations: World records and fastest times.

<p>Fastest World Marathon WMM locations: World records and fastest times.</p

Estimated mean race times for the five major marathon venues, including Berlin (BER), Boston (BOS), Chicago (CHI), London (LON), and New York City (NYC), for male and female participants.

<p>Upper and lower Confidence Limits (CL) depicted as dashed lines.</p