Caloric restriction and/or mild exercise: effects on serum lipids and body composition

Abstract

In order to examine the relationship between caloric restriction, mild exercise and lipoprotein cholesterol, 58 sedentary males with a mean age of 47 years were placed into four experimental groups; caloric restriction, mild exercise, caloric restriction + mild exercise, and control. Subjects were tested before and after a 10-week experimental period for body composition, lipoprotein cholesterol, and dietary intake. Results indicated that all three experimental conditions resulted in significant reductions in total serum cholesterol (>16 mg/100 ml). The exercise experimental treatments (mild exercise, caloric restriction + mild exercise) resulted in significantly decreased low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol (>12 mg/100 ml) and no change in high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol which contributed to a more favorable LDL/HDL ratio. Caloric restriction alone resulted in significant decreases in HDL-cholesterol (>8 mg/100 ml) and no change in LDL-cholesterol which contributed to a less favorable LDL/HDL ratio. Body composition analyses revealed a reduced body fatness in all three experimental groups. Caloric restriction + mild exercise resulted in the greatest body composition changes followed by caloric restriction and mild exercise. The control group did not change significantly in any measured variable. A summary of results reveal that 1) 10 weeks of caloric restriction and/or mild exercise lowered total serum cholesterol, 2) exercise contributed to a decreased LDL-cholesterol, 3) mild exercise did not affect HDL-cholesterol over a 10-week period, 4) 10 weeks of caloric restriction resulted in reductions in HDL-cholesterol, and 5) a combination of caloric restriction and exercise appears optimal with respect to reduced body fatness.