Abstract P240: Increased Aerobic Fitness is associated with Cardiometabolic Risk Reduction in a High Cardiovascular Disease Risk Occupational Cohort Independent of Significant Weight Loss
Jump to

Abstract
Background: Studies have demonstrated that improving physical fitness is associated with weight loss and improvement in cardio-metabolic risk profile. However, the effect of improvement in aerobic fitness on metabolic risk in the absence of significant weight loss in a high risk working population is poorly understood. We examined efficacy of both weight reduction and increased aerobic fitness on metabolic syndrome in an ongoing multicomponent lifestyle intervention improvement program (My Unlimited Potential (myUP)), among employees of Baptist Health South Florida (BHSF).
Methods: The study population included 158 participants who had at least 2 metabolic risk factors at baseline. An advanced nurse practitioner, registered dietician, exercise physiologist, certified diabetic educator, and registered nurse met with participants to provide one-on-one counseling and fitness training. During the first 12 weeks the multidisciplinary team rigorously supervised participants.
Results: Over the 12 week period, there was a significant increase in METS (median difference 2.7; IQR 1.4 to 3.4 p<0.001). Over the same period the prevalence of metabolic syndrome reduced from 48% to 25% (p <0.001). The increase in METS was greater among those with significant weight loss defined as weight loss at least 5% of baseline body weight (median difference = 1.30, P<0.001). In a fully adjusted logistic regression model, there was markedly significant reduction in the risk of metabolic syndrome at 3 months among those who had shown improvements in fitness alone (OR 0.15, p=0.025) and among those who had both improvements in fitness and significant weight loss (OR 0.14, p=0.030).
Conclusion: Improvements in respiratory fitness as can be seen with exercise, even in the absence of significant weight loss, is associated with significant reduction in cardiometabolic risk. In an intensive lifestyle modification interventional program aimed at CVD risk reduction, emphasis should be placed at increasing physical fitness, not only on weight loss.

Author Disclosures: E.C. Aneni: A. Employment; Modest; Employee of BHSF. E. Oni: A. Employment; Modest; Employee of BHSF. L. Roberson: A. Employment; Modest; Employee of Baptist Health South Florida. M. Rouseff: A. Employment; Significant; BHSF employee. H. Guzman: A. Employment; Significant; BHSF employee. T.H. Tran: A. Employment; Significant; BHSF employee. S. Das: A. Employment; Significant; BHSF employee. D. Brown: A. Employment; Significant; BHSF employee. J. Santiago-Charles: A. Employment; Significant; BHSF employee. T.C. Ochoa: A. Employment; Significant; BHSF employee. J. Mora: A. Employment; Modest; BHSF employee. C. Gilliam: A. Employment; Modest; BHSF employee. V. Lehn: A. Employment; Modest; BHSF employee. J. Bou-Khalil: A. Employment; Modest; BHSF employee. B. Castillo: None. E. Veledar: None. T. Feldman: A. Employment; Significant; BHSF employee. A.S. Agatston: A. Employment; Significant; BHSF employee. J. Post: A. Employment; Significant; BHSF employee. K. Nasir: A. Employment; Significant; BHSf employee.
- © 2014 by American Heart Association, Inc.
This Issue
Jump to
Article Tools
- Abstract P240: Increased Aerobic Fitness is associated with Cardiometabolic Risk Reduction in a High Cardiovascular Disease Risk Occupational Cohort Independent of Significant Weight LossEhimen C Aneni, Ebenezer Oni, Lara Roberson, Maribeth Rouseff, Henry Guzman, Thinh H Tran, Sankalp Das, Doris Brown, Joann Santiago-Charles, Teresa C Ochoa, Joseph Mora, Cynthia Gilliam, Virginia Lehn, Josette Bou-Khalil, Beatriz Castillo, Emir Veledar, Theodore Feldman, Arthur S Agatston, Janisse Post and Khurram NasirCirculation. 2014;129:AP240, originally published March 19, 2014
Citation Manager Formats
Share this Article
- Abstract P240: Increased Aerobic Fitness is associated with Cardiometabolic Risk Reduction in a High Cardiovascular Disease Risk Occupational Cohort Independent of Significant Weight LossEhimen C Aneni, Ebenezer Oni, Lara Roberson, Maribeth Rouseff, Henry Guzman, Thinh H Tran, Sankalp Das, Doris Brown, Joann Santiago-Charles, Teresa C Ochoa, Joseph Mora, Cynthia Gilliam, Virginia Lehn, Josette Bou-Khalil, Beatriz Castillo, Emir Veledar, Theodore Feldman, Arthur S Agatston, Janisse Post and Khurram NasirCirculation. 2014;129:AP240, originally published March 19, 2014