Examining the effect of exercise and healthy nutrition on some blood parameters and anthropometric measurements in slightly overweight women

The negative impact of an increase in body weight due to poor nutrition and sedentary lifestyle conditions varies. In this context, our study aimed to examine the effect of exercise, nutrition or combined intervention on changes in biochemical parameters, hormones, cytokines and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels. The study consisted of 48 female students aged between 18-28 years with a body mass index (BMI) between 25.0-29.9 kg/m2, who were divided into four groups: control (C), exercise (E), healthy nutrition (HN), and exercise+healthy nutrition (E+HN). Anthropometric measurements and serum samples were collected at the beginning and end of the 8-week study period. A significance level of p<0.05 was accepted. According to our results, there was a significant decrease in body weight, BMI, body fat mass, and body fat percentage in the E+HN group (p≤0.0001). There were significant changes in visceral fat degree, waist circumference, and hip circumference in all groups compared to the C group. The waist-hip ratio significantly differed in the E+HN group; creatine level in the E group; urea, total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, glucose, and insulin levels in the HN group; leptin level in the C group (p=0.014), and ghrelin level in the HN group (p=0.003). The highest significant increase in irisin level was observed in the E group (p=0.002). The GDF15 level increased in all groups, while the MDA level significantly differed in the E group (p=0.018) compared to other groups. Positive correlations were found between body weight and BMI, body fat mass, and body fat percentage, as well as between BMI and body fat mass and body fat percentage (p<0.01). Irisin level negatively correlated with MDA level (p<0.01), and GDF15 level negatively correlated with BMI level (p<0.05).