Changes in miR146b Following Different Exercise Interventions in Adolescents with Overweight and Obesity

Serum microRNAs are associated with numerous metabolic diseases, including obesity, hyperlipidemia, and type 2 diabetes. This study aimed to identify the miR146b changes following different exercise training interventions in adolescents with overweight and obesity.

In this quasi-experimental study, 30 obese and overweight male adolescents aged 13-15 years were selected through the convenience sampling method based on body mass index (BMI) and assigned to two high-intensity interval training (HIIT) (Mean BMI: 26.15±2.25 kg/m2) and  school-based (SBE) (Mean BMI: 26.02±2.26 kg/m2) groups. Exercises in each group were performed for 12 weeks/ three weekly sessions after 10-15 minutes of initial warm-up. Moreover, at the end of each training session, 5-10 minutes were considered for cooling down. The circulating miR146b was extracted using a Real-Time PCR system. The subjects’ lipid profile was  measured by enzymatic methods, using certified commercial kits.

The expression of miR146b in both training groups, HIIT and SBE, dropped around 46.88% vs. 62.05%, respectively, but there was no significant difference between groups (p=0.836). Lipid profile levels also improved in both HIIT and SBE groups, but there were no significant differences in the Cholesterol (p=0.677), Triglyceride (p=0.977), LDL (p=0.247), and HDL levels between the two groups (p=0.977).

The results showed that both school-based and high-intensity interval training can be used to modify lipid Profile and miR146b levels as an indicator of the pathological status of obesity in children and reduce the risk of disease in adulthood.