Affiliations: Laboratory of Exercise Physiology, Department of
Physical Education, College of Sports Science, Busan, Republic of Korea | Departments of Pharmacology Medical Science Research
Institute, College of Medicine, Dong-A University, Busan, Republic of
Korea | Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department
of Pediatrics, Busan, Republic of Korea
Note: [] Correspondence: Ki Ok Shin, PhD, Department of Physical
Education, College of Sports Science, Dong-A University, 840 Hadan2-dong,
Saha-gu, 604.714, Busan, Republic of Korea. Tel.: +82 512 007808; Fax: +82 512
007805; E-mail: kshin21@dau.ac.kr
Abstract: The aim of the present study is to investigate the effects of
a 12 weeks low-intensity exercise training on body composition,
adipokines, and growth factors in normal (NG) and obese (OG) children. Maximal
oxygen uptake (VO_{2}max); body composition; adipokines
consisting of adiponectin, retinol binding protein-4 (RBP4), and interleukin-6
(IL-6); and growth factors including insulin like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and
insulin like growth factor binding protein-3 (IGF-BP3) were measured before and
after low-intensity exercise training program. Body composition parameters such
as body weight, body mass index, body fat (%) and VO2 max were significantly
different between NG and OG. Adiponectin levels in NG were increased after 12
weeks exercise training. In addition, our results showed that the
concentrations of adiponectin, RBP4, IGF-1, and IGF-BP3 in OG were higher than
those of NG. Adiponectin levels were significantly correlated with body fat
(r=−0.545, p=0.001) and
VO_{2}max (r=0.368, p=0.032) and RBP4 levels were significantly correlated with body fat
(r=0.371, p=0.031) in all subjects.
Exercise training improved adiponectin levels in NG subjects and maintained the
levels of body fat, adipokines (adiponectin, RBP4), and growth factors (IGF-1,
IGF-BP3) in OG subjects. The present study revealed that regular low-intensity
exercise training is strongly associated with high adiponectin levels in
healthy children. However, obese children did not exhibit any changes in the
levels of adipokines and maintained body composition and growth factors.