Effects of Concurrent, Strength, and Endurance Training on Metabolic Syndrome Risk Factors Among Obese Females

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a concurrent, strength, and endurance training program on metabolic syndrome risk factors among obese females. Fifty-two obese females (mean ± SD: age 22.71 ± 1.53 years; body mass index 33.96 ± 3.36 kg m⁻²) were randomly assigned into four groups (n = 13; concurrent (CE), endurance exercise (EE), resistance exercise (RE) programs, and control (C). All the intervention groups completed an 8-week intervention period that consisted of either an endurance exercise (EE: aerobic exercise intensity level started at 40% of training heart rate at week 1 and increased to 60% of training heart rate at week 8), resistance exercise (six to eight resistance exercises using machine at 50–70% of predicted 1RM), or concurrent exercise (CE: 25-min running plus six to eight resistance exercises at 50–70% of predicted 1RM). Resistance exercise was focused on upper body, lower body, and abdominal muscles. Before and after the intervention, subjects completed an incremental treadmill run and maximal isometric strength tests. The baseline values for waist circumference, TRI, HDL, fasting blood glucose, and blood pressure were identical in all groups. Significant interaction (time x intervention) were found in WC, systolic blood pressure, and blood glucose, but not in TRI and HDL. However, no significant differences were found between the groups in all outcome measures. The results suggest no significant difference in benefits of an 8-week of endurance, resistance and concurrent exercises on WC, TRI, HDL, fasting blood glucose, and blood pressure among obese female adults maybe because of an insufficient sample size or a short intervention period.