Effects of Different Doses of Exercise on Inflammation Markers Among Adolescents With Overweight/Obesity: HEPAFIT Study

Propose Obesity-related metabolic risk factors in adolescents who are overweight/obese may be associated with systemic low-grade inflammation; therefore, we investigated whether 6 months of exercise training altered markers of inflammation. Methods Secondary analyses of a randomized controlled exercise-based intervention trial (September 2017-December 2018). Adolescents aged 11 to 17 years (Tanner stage II-V), 70% girls, with a body mass index z-score at or above the 85th percentile, and/or with excess of adiposity (body fat ≥ 30%). The participants were randomly assigned to the following 4 groups for 6 months: (1) standard physical education lessons, as a control (CTRL); (2) high-intensity physical education class (HIPE); (3) low-to-moderate intensity physical education class (LIPE); (4) a combined group (PLUS). Inflammatory markers and immune molecules including chemokines, cytokines, and growth factors (n = 65 biomarkers) were determined by cytokine antibody array. Results Of the 120 randomly assigned participants, 95 were included in the analysis. Considering these 22 proteins, the LIPE group shows statistical significance in 9 proteins with log-fold change (logFC) and P Conclusions Implementing a 6-month physical exercise program in overweight/obese adolescents, based on LIPE and PLUS groups, significantly change several circulating inflammatory levels. Interventions involving supervised physical exercise may reduce the associated effects of systemic low-grade inflammation, thus preventing the development of obesity-related metabolic diseases in adolescents with overweight/obesity.