Short-term resistance training improves cardiometabolic health in caucasian and south asian males

South Asian (SOU) individuals are recognised as having excess cardiovascular risk in comparison to Caucasian (CAUC) individuals due to unfavourable risk factor prevalence’s. Resistance training (RT) has been shown to improve risk factor profiles; however recent evidence has shown that the magnitude of improvements may be racially specific. No data exist concerning the effects of RT on cardiometabolic health between CAUCs and SOUs.
PURPOSE: To evaluate the effects of RT on biomarkers of cardiometabolic health in CAUC and SOU males.
METHODS: CAUC (n=15, 25 ± 4 yrs) and SOU (n=13, 25 ± 7 yrs) males completed a progressive RT protocol 3 x week-1 for 6 weeks. Glucose, insulin, insulin sensitivity (HOMA-%S, HOMA-%B), triglycerides (TRIGS), low density lipoprotein (LDL), high density lipoprotein (HDL), total cholesterol (TC) and C-reactive protein (CRP) were established at baseline and following RT. The linear progressive protocol involved 5 compound exercises to achieve maximum increases in muscular strength. Differences between groups, time points and their interaction were established by mixed methods repeated measures ANOVA. Statistical significance was set at P<0.05. All data are presented as percentage difference (Δ) ± SD.
RESULTS: No difference in baseline glucose, insulin, TRIGS, LDL, HDL, TC or CRP (P>0.05) were evident between groups. Fasting glucose concentrations significantly reduced in the CAUC (Δ -15 ± 13.9 %, P<0.05), without any change in the SOU group (Δ -7 ± 6.8 %, P<0.05) following RT. Insulin concentrations, HOMA-%S, HOMA-%B, TRIGS, or CRP remained unchanged in both groups following RT (P>0.05, for all measures). LDL decreased significantly in the CAUC (Δ -32 ± 19.3 %, P<0.05) and the SOU group (Δ -35 ± 17.8 %, P<0.05) following RT. HDL significantly increased in both the CAUC (Δ +27 ± 29.3 %, P<0.05) and SOU group (Δ +24 ± 26.5 %, P<0.05) following RT. TC significantly decreased in the CAUC (Δ -18 ± 16.3 %, P<0.05) and the SOU group (Δ -23 ± 14.3 %, P<0.05) following RT. No significant differences in any measure were evident between groups at any time point (P>0.05).
CONCLUSION: Short-term RT has a positive impact on some cardiometabolic risk factors in young Caucasian and South Asian males.