Exercise‐Induced Reduction in Obesity and Insulin Resistance in Women: a Randomized Controlled Trial

To determine the effects of equivalent diet- or exercise-induced weight loss and exercise without weight loss on subcutaneous fat, visceral fat, and insulin sensitivity in obese women. RESEARCH METHODS AND PROCEDURES: Fifty-four premenopausal women with abdominal obesity [waist circumference 110.1 +/- 5.8 cm (mean +/- SD)] (BMI 31.3 +/- 2.0 kg/m2) were randomly assigned to one of four groups: diet weight loss (n = 15), exercise weight loss (n = 17), exercise without weight loss (n = 12), and a weight-stable control group (n = 10). All groups underwent a 14-week intervention.

Body weight decreased by approximately 6.5% within both weight loss groups and was unchanged in the exercise without weight loss and control groups. In comparison with controls, cardiorespiratory fitness improved within the exercise groups only (p 0.05). Visceral fat decreased within all treatment groups (p