title: Effects of high-intensity circuit training, low-intensity circuit training and endurance training on blood pressure and lipoproteins in middle-aged overweight men.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this study was to determine the physiological effects of an high-intensity circuit training (HICT) on several cardiovascular disease risk factors in healthy, overweight middle-aged subjects, and to compare the effects of HICT to traditional endurance training (ET) and low-intensity circuit training (LICT).
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty-eight participants (ages 61 ± 3.3 yrs, BMI 29.8 ± 0.9) were randomly assigned to one of the three exercise treatment groups: HICT, LICT and ET. The three groups exercised three times per week, 50 min per session for 12 weeks. Baseline and after intervention anthropometric characteristics: body weight (BW), fat mass (FM); blood pressure: diastolic (DBP) and systolic (SBP), blood parameters; CHOL-t (total cholesterol), LDL-C (low density lipoprotein-cholesterol), HDL-C (high density lipoprotein-cholesterol), TG (triglycerides), ApoB and ratio ApoB/ApoA1 were measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared to other groups, HICT showed significantly higher reductions in FM, DBP, CHOLt, LDL-C, TG, ApoB and significantly greater increases in high density HDL-C. LICT resulted in the greatest reduction in SBP. All groups showed a significant improvement of BW without any significant differences between groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings indicate that high-intensity circuit training is more effective in improving blood pressure, lipoproteins and triglycerides than endurance training alone or lower intensity circuit training.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences (DSB), University of Padova, Via Marzolo 3, Padova 35131, Italy. antonio.paoli@unipd.it.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Paoli
authors.forename: Quirico F
authors.initials: QF
authors.lastname: Pacelli
authors.forename: Tatiana
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Moro
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Marcolin
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Neri
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Battaglia
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sergi
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bolzetta
authors.forename: Antonino
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bianco
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue; D000368:Aged; D001054:Apolipoproteins A / Q000097:blood; D001055:Apolipoproteins B / Q000097:blood; D001794:Blood Pressure; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D050177:Overweight / Q000097:blood* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D005082:Physical Exertion / Q000502:physiology*; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D001054:Apolipoproteins A; D001055:Apolipoproteins B; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D014280:Triglycerides