Low intensity endurance exercise targeted for lipid oxidation improves body composition and insulin sensitivity in patients with the metabolic syndrome.
Background: To investigate the effects of individualized training on the metabolic syndrome. Methods: Twenty-eight patients, suffering from the metabolic syndrome were studied before and after 2 months of training and compared to eleven patients who did not follow any training. All the patients were overweight. Training was individualized at the point where fat oxidation was maximal (LIPOX max ) as determined by calorimetry. Results: The patients exhibited a significant reduction in body weight (-2.6 ± 0.7 kg; P = 0.002), fat mass (-1.55 ± 0.5 kg; P = 0.009), waist (-3.53 ± 1.3cm; P < 0.05) and hip (-2.21 ± 0.9cm; P < 0.05) circumferences, and improved the ability to oxidize lipids at exercise (crossover point: + 31.7 ± 5.8 W; P < 0.0001; LIPOX max : + 23.5 ± 5.6 W; P < 0.0001; lipid oxidation: + 68.5 ± 15.4 mg·mi
