Resistance Training Improves a Cellular Health Parameter in Obese Older Women: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Ribeiro, AS, Schoenfeld, BJ, dos Santos, L, Nunes, JP, Tomeleri, CM, Cunha, PM, Sardinha, LB, and Cyrino, ES. Resistance training improves a cellular health parameter in obese older women: a randomized controlled trial. J Strength Cond Res 34(10): 2996-3002, 2020-Phase angle (PhA) is a viable indicator of cellular health, with higher values reflecting better cellularity, cell membrane integrity, and cell function. Adaptive responses to resistance training (RT) on PhA may be important in obese older people. The main purpose of the present study was to investigate the effects of 8 weeks of RT on PhA in obese older women. Thirty-three obese older women (68.1 ± 5.7 years, 71.6 ± 10.1 kg, 154.5 ± 6.7 cm, 30.0 ± 4.1 kg·m, and 45.0 ± 6.0% body fat) were randomly allocated into 1 of 2 groups: a training group that performed the RT program (TG, n = 18) or a nonexercise control group (CG, n = 15). The whole-body RT consisted of an 8-week RT program involving 8 exercises performed for 3 sets of 8-12 repetitions 3 times a week. Anthropometric, body fat and fat-free mass, PhA, total body water (TBW), intracellular water (ICW), and extracellular water compartments were performed at before and after training. After the intervention period, the TG presented greater increases (p < 0.05) than CG for fat-free mass (TG = +1.3% and CG = -0.3%), TBW (TG = +2.0% and CG = -1.7%), ICW (TG = +3.1% and CG = -1.9%), and PhA (TG = +3.4% and CG = -1.4%), and lower values for percentage of body fat (TG = -1.3% and CG = +0.9%) and bioimpedance resistance (TG = -4.6% and CG = +2.3%). Our results suggest that 8 weeks of RT improves PhA-a cellular health parameter-in obese older women.