Effect of Physical Activity on NAFLD

It has been demonstrated the essential role of physical activity in the prevention of overweight and obesity. Nevertheless, the effect of a program of physical activity on the maintenance of body weight in subjects who have previously followed a dietary intervention is still unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate this topic by evaluating the effect of two different programs of physical activity on subjects who have followed a dietary intervention but presented again NAFLD a year after the treatment.

Subjects who were previously enrolled in the trial NUTRIEP and who still have NAFLD a year after the end of the study, were invited to participate in a program of physical activity to assess the effect of endurance and resistance training on weight and NAFLD score. Participants (100 subjects) were randomized and divided into two groups: the first followed a program of endurance activity consisting in a 30 minute walk, 5 times/week; the second followed a program combining the just described aerobic exercise with a resistance training based on 30 minute of musculation involving all the bigger muscles, 3 times/week. The trial lasted six months and subjects underwent liver ultrasonography (to assess NAFLD score), indirect calorimetry, bioimpedenziometry, the measurement of anthropometric variables (body height and weight) and biological parameters (glucose, insulin, cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, triglycerides, GOT, GPT and GGT) at the baseline and at the third and the sixth month. The aim of the study was to estimate the effect of the two different programs of physical activity on NAFLD score. Secondary end-points included: the effect on basal metabolism, the modification of fat mass (FM), lean mass (LM) and muscle mass (MM) and on several biological markers associated with NAFLD.

Subjects have followed a program of endurance activity consisting in a 30 minute walk, 5 times/week. Exercise intensity started from the 60% of the maximum heart rate and raised up to the 75%.

Subjects have followed a program combining endurance activity (EA) and resistance training (RT) consisting in a 60 minute work session, 3 times/week consisting in: Walk (30 minutes): exercise intensity started from the 60% of the maximum heart rate and raised up to the 75%. Musculation (30 minutes): training of the bigger muscle groups (chest, shoulders, arms, abdomen, back, glutei and legs). Exercise intensity started from the 65% of the maximum rated load and raised up to the 75%.

Inclusion Criteria: Moderate or severe NAFLD Enrolled in the previous trial called NUTRIEP Exclusion Criteria: Not enrolled in the previous trial called NUTRIEP