Effect of Pilates Training on Serum Levels of Adiponectin and Leptin in Inactive Women with Overweight

Exercise training increases metabolic responses such as lipolysis and blood flow in adipocyte. Since regular exercise usually causes changes in adipose tissue, the purpose of this study was to investigate effect of Pilates exercise training on serum leveles of adiponectin and leptin in inactive women with overweight.
In this quasi-experimental study 25 women with overweight ­­participated voluntarily. They randomly divided into two groups: training group (n=12) and control group (n=13). Pilates exercise training was performed during 12 weeks (3 sessions per week, 60 min per session). During the course control group had no exercise training. Blood samples were collected in a fasting status and in two stages, 48 hours before and after exercise. Within-group changes and between-group changes were analyzed with the paired t test and the ANCOVA test, respectively.
The results of the current study showed that although weight loss was significant in the training group (P= 0.005),­ but in within group comparison, only leptin was significantly decreased in response to exercise training (P= 0.032). In between group comparison, there was no significant change in serum levels of adiponectin and leptin concentrations.
Based on the result, despite a significant reduction (P= 0.005) in weight in the training group, serum levels of adiponectin and leptin did not change significantly respectively with P value (P= 0.475) and (P= 0.072) compared to the control group. It seems this kind of exercise does not work for significantly reducing leptin levels and increasing in adiponectin.