The ameliorative effects of graded intensities of exercise training on anthropometrical parameters on high fat diet and sucrose-induced obesity in Wistar rats

Abstract

Obesity is a condition characterised by the expansion of visceral adipose tissue (VAT) depots, leading to its abnormal function, which is associated with the development of insulin insensitivity, cardiovascular disorders, and cancer. This study aims to evaluate the effects of graded intensities of exercise training on visceral adipose tissue weight in the various depots and anthropometrical parameters in Wistar rats with a high-fat diet and sucrose (HFDS)- induced obesity. The study had two phases: the induction of obesity and the intervention phase. In the induction phase, 25 male Wistar rats, 7 weeks old, were randomly grouped into the control group (c) of five rats and the experimental group of 20 rats. The control group was given free access to a normal rodent diet containing 5% fat. The experimental group received a high-fat diet containing 30% fat and drank 60% sucrose ad libitum (HFDS) for 12 weeks. In the second phase, the HFDS-induced rats were randomly grouped into four groups, as follows (n = 5 per group): sedentary, low, medium, and high-intensity exercise training groups. The exercise training was done by swimming in modified pools of 50 cm in height and 30 cm in diameter as follows: low intensity 20 to 59 min/day with a 0% to 3% overload, moderate intensity 60 to 89 min/day with a 0% to 5% overload, and high intensity 90 min/day with more than 10% overload for five days/week for eight weeks. The terminal body weight, body mass gain, and body mass index (BMI) were lower in all training and exercise group rats than in the sedentary group. In addition, the training groups significantly decreased the VAT weights in the perigonadol, mesenteric, and retroperitoneal depots. Exercise training at medium-to-high intensities ameliorates the weight of visceral tissue and attenuates anthropometrical parameters.