Effects of Caloric Restriction Associated with Low-Impact Aerobics and Strength Training Exercises on Body Composition and Cardiovascular Diseases Risk Factors among Obese Students with Metabolic Syndrome

Diet and physical activity are the most commonly recommended strategies for preventing and treating metabolic syndrome (MetS). This randomized trial aims to examine the effectiveness of a weight reduction intervention based on caloric restriction, low-impact aerobics (LIA), and a resistance-training program in improving body composition, metabolic parameters and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors among obese students diagnosed with MetS. Methods: In all, 23 male participants, aged 19-24 years, were randomly introduced to a dieting program (the diet group, or DG = 09) or to dieting associated with a supervised physical training program (the diet and training group, or DTG = 14). Before and after the intervention, the participants' anthropometric measures and cardiovascular disease risk factors were assessed. Results: Following the interventions, significant improvements were noted in all anthropometric variables among all participants. Significant differences were noted between groups in terms of body weight, waist circumference, body mass index, body fat percentage, and waist-to-hip ratio. All MetS components also improved in both groups, and the most significant improvements were observed among the training group in terms of fasting blood glucose (FBG) level, triglyceride (TG) level, total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c), and very low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (VLDL-c). Conclusion: A daily caloric restriction of approximately 500 kcal could be an effective tool in combating MetS. Further, the introduction of three weekly aerobic and resistance-training sessions in a gymnasium to the caloric restriction program may deliver better outcomes, mainly in terms of reductions in body weight, WC, FBG level, TG level, TC, LDL-c, and VLDL-c. The present study's findings should be interpreted with an awareness of certain research limits. First, the population investigated was limited to young students at King Faisal University, located in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. This region is characterized by a rapidly growing economy, several changes in the population's nutritional habits, and a harsh desert climate not conducive to the playing of sports or physical activity for a long period of time each year. Therefore, the results of this study cannot be extrapolated to other settings. Second, the input energy was based on self-reported food consumption data; no objective measures were carried out during the study to assist in participant diet adherence, so the possibility of bias resulting from poor food consumption recollections or unawareness about specific food items and the amounts that were consumed cannot be eliminated. Finally, this study is based on preexisting data, so causal relationships cannot be determined.