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PurposeThe aim of this study was to analyze and compare the effects of different sports (swimming, football, basketball, and handball) on fat mass and lean mass in prepubertal and pubertal girls.MethodsTwo hundred girls (10.6 ± 1.5 years old, Tanner stages I–III) participated in the study and were divided into five groups: 40 swimmers, 40 football players, 40 basketball players, 40 handball players, and 40 controls. Fat and lean masses at whole body, arms, trunk, and legs were measured using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Pubertal status was determined using Tanner test. Effects of different sports on fat and lean masses were assessed through analysis of covariance with height as covariates. Analyses were performed separately in two groups depending on the Tanner stage (prepubertal and pubertal).ResultsThe girls of the control group had less lean mass and more fat mass compared to the girls who play sports (p

Background and aims: Exercise training can improve health of patients with metabolic syndrome(MetS).However,whichMetS factors aremost responsive to exercise training remains unclear. We studied the time-course of changes in MetS factors in response to training and detraining. Methods and results: Forty eightMetS patients (52 8.8 yrs old; 33 4 BMI) underwent 4months (3 days/week) of supervised aerobic interval training (AIT) program. After 1 month of training, there were progressive increases in high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c) and reductions in waist circumference and blood pressure (12 3, 3.9 0.4, and 12 1%, respectively after 4 months; all P < 0.05). However, fasting plasma concentration of triglycerides and glucose were not reduced by training. Insulin sensitivity (HOMA), cardiorespiratory fitness (VO2peak) and exercisemaximal fat oxidation (FOMAx) also progressively improved with training ( 17 5; 21 2 and 31 8%, respectively, after 4months; all P < 0.05). Vastus lateralis samples fromseven subjects revealed that mitochondrial O2 flux was markedly increased with training (71 11%) due to increased mitochondrial content. After 1 month of detraining, the training-induced improvements in waist circumference and blood pressure were maintained. HDL-c and VO2peak returned to the values found after 1e2 months of training while HOMA and FOMAx returned to pre-training values. Conclusions: The health related variables most responsive to aerobic interval training in MetS patients arewaist circumference, blood pressure and the muscle and systemic adaptations to consume oxygen and fat. However, the latter reverse with detraining while blood pressure andwaist circumference are persistent to one month of detraining.