Published 21 October 2009, doi:10.1136/bmj.b4249
Cite this as: BMJ 2009;339:b4249

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Thighs and heart disease

Exercise, muscle mass, and insulin sensitivity

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

Heitmann and Frederiksen found that a small thigh circumference was associated with an increased risk of heart disease or premature death, suggesting that this adverse effect might be related to low muscle mass.1 Exercise induced increase in muscle mass is associated with improved insulin sensitivity.2 3

We measured body composition by dual energy x-ray absorptiometry and insulin sensitivity by oral glucose tolerance testing before and after 12 weeks of aerobic training in 19 overweight and obese girls.2 We also determined concentrations of adiponectin, C reactive protein, interleukin-6, insulin-like growth factor 1, soluble forms of the cell adhesion molecules ICAM-1 and VCAM-1, lipids, and lipoproteins.

The major finding was a 23.3% improvement in insulin sensitivity after training as shown by the smaller area under the insulin concentration curve (P=0.03). This occurred without changes in body weight, percentage body fat, waist circumference, estimated visceral fat, or serum concentrations of adiponectin, interleukin-6, and C . . . [Full text of this article]

George P Nassis, research associate1, Labros S Sidossis, professor2

1 Department of Sport Medicine and Biology of Physical Activity, Faculty of Physical Education and Sport Science, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece, 2 Laboratory of Nutrition and Clinical Dietetics, Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Harokopio University, Athens

gnassis@phed.uoa.gr


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Thigh circumference and risk of heart disease and premature death: prospective cohort study
Berit L Heitmann and Peder Frederiksen
BMJ 2009 339: b3292. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

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