title: Impact of a moderate-intensity walking program on cardiometabolic risk markers in overweight to obese women:  is there any influence of menopause?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to examine the effect of brisk walking on cardiometabolic risk profile and on the gene expression (ie, messenger RNA [mRNA] levels) of inflammatory and thrombotic markers in abdominal and femoral subcutaneous adipose tissues (SATs) among sedentary overweight to obese women with different menopause statuses.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixteen late premenopausal (mean [SD] age, 49 [3] y; mean [SD] body mass index, 31.9 [3.0] kg/m) and 14 early postmenopausal (53 [2] y; 30.8 [1.9] kg/m) women were involved in a 16-week walking program (three sessions of 45 min/wk at 60% of heart rate reserve). Glucose-insulin homeostasis, lipid-lipoprotein profile, and inflammatory (tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-6 [IL-6], and adiponectin) and thrombotic (plasminogen activator inhibitor-1) SAT mRNA and plasma levels were measured before and after the intervention.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Glucose area under the curve was reduced in all participants (P = 0.03) after the walking program. Increases in plasma tumor necrosis factor-α were observed in both groups (P = 0.001), whereas increases in plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 levels were found in postmenopausal women only (P = 0.014). However, plasma IL-6 and adiponectin levels remained unchanged after the intervention (0.07 < P < 0.98). Although femoral SAT adiponectin mRNA levels decreased in postmenopausal women only (P = 0.008), abdominal SAT IL-6 mRNA levels were reduced in both groups (P = 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Taken together, our results show that, despite a reduced abdominal SAT IL-6 expression, brisk walking does not seem to exert a favorable impact on the cardiometabolic risk profile of overweight to obese women, irrespective of their menopause status.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Physical Education and Sports, University of Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Canada.
authors.forename: Eléonor
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Riesco
authors.forename: Sébastien
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tessier
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lacaille
authors.forename: Francine
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pérusse
authors.forename: Mélanie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Côté
authors.forename: Jean-Pierre
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Després
authors.forename: Jean
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bergeron
authors.forename: John Stanley
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Weisnagel
authors.forename: Jean
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Doré
authors.forename: Pascale
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mauriège
mesh_terms: D052242:Adiponectin / Q000235:genetics; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000235:genetics; D008593:Menopause / Q000502:physiology*; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000628:therapy*; D050177:Overweight / Q000628:therapy*; D017395:Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 1 / Q000097:blood; D017698:Postmenopause / Q000502:physiology; D017697:Premenopause / Q000502:physiology; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012307:Risk Factors; D050151:Subcutaneous Fat / Q000737:chemistry; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000097:blood; D016138:Walking
chemical_list: D052242:Adiponectin; D015850:Interleukin-6; D017395:Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 1; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha