Effect of Exercise Training on Metabolic Homeostasis and Some Hepatic and Cardiovascular Functions in a Rat Model of High Fat Diet Induced Obesity

Abstract Background: Obesity is associated with many chronic disorders such as type-2 diabetes mellitus, essential hyperten-sion and Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD). Phys-ical exercise has been shown to have positive effects in the prevention and attenuation of many of the obesity-related disorders, however; the mechanisms have not been fully elucidated.
Objective: The present study was designed to examine the effect of moderate intensity exercise training on existing cardio metabolic and hepatic complications linked to obesity including dyslipidemia, insulin resistance, hypertension and NAFLD.
Material and Methods: This study was conducted on 3 groups of adult male albino rats: Group-1: Normal diet fed group Group-II: High Fat Diet (HFD) induced obesity group in which obesity was induced by HFD for 12 weeks and Group-III: HFD induced obesity group fed on HFD for 12 weeks followed by moderate intensity swimming exercise training for 8 weeks. In all groups, BMI, Abdominal Circum-ference (AC), systolic, diastolic and mean arterial blood pressures, heart rate, serum glucose, insulin and HOMA-IR, serum Total Cholesterol (TC), Triglyceride (TG), Very Low-density Lipoprotein Cholesterol (VLDL-c), Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol (LDL-c), High-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol (HDL-c) and Atherogenic Index (AI), serum adiponectin, leptin, irisin, Tumor Necrosis Factor alpha (TNF-a), Interleukin-6 (IL-6), Malondialdehyde (MDA), Superoxide dismutase (SOD), Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT), Aspartate Aminotransferase (AST), Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP), Lactate Dehydrogenase (LDH) and albumin were measured and his-topathological examinations for hepatic tissues were also done. Results: The present study revealed that HFD significantly increased BMI, AC, systolic, diastolic and mean arterial blood pressures, heart rate, serum glucose, insulin, HOMA-IR, TC, TG, LDL-c, VLDL-c, AI, ALT, AST, ALP, LDH, TNF-a, IL-6, MDA and leptin levels, however, there were significant decreases in serum HDL-c, SOD, albumin, adiponectin and irisin levels. NASH and cirrhosis were also observed in HFD-induced obesity group. Conversely, chronic moderate intensity swimming exercise training significantly reversed these manifestations even in absence of caloric restriction.
Conclusion: Moderate exercise training seems to be an effective strategy to reverse almost all risk factors of cardio-vascular diseases and NAFLD associated with metabolic syndrome.