A weight reduction and weight maintenance program with long-lasting improvement in left ventricular mass and blood pressure

Obesity is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease and is associated with hypertension and increased left ventricular mass (LVM). Maintenance of reduced weight has been a matter of recent concerns in the treatment of obese subjects. This study was conducted to confirm the effect of the addition of exercise to diet on maintenance of body weight in a weight reduction program. In addition, this study was conducted to estimate whether LVM changes in parallel with a change in body weight during a long-term follow-up after a weight-reduction program. Twenty-two normotensive (NT) obese subjects and 14 mild hypertensive (HT) obese subjects ranging in age from 22 to 51 years participated in a 12-week supervised weight-reduction program involving mild exercise and a mild hypocaloric diet. After this 12- week intervention, they were advised to maintain their modified lifestyle during a 1-year follow-up period. After the 12-week intervention, the mean reductions in body weight (BW) in the NT and HT groups were 4.1 kg (P < .0001) and 5.8 kg (P < .0001), respectively. LVM in the NT and HT groups was significantly reduced from 154 g to 136 g (P < .005) and from 169 g to 152 g (P < .002), respectively. One year after intervention, the mean gains in BW in the NT and HT groups were 2.3 kg (not significant, NS) and 0.4 kg (NS), respectively. The mean gains in LVM in the NT and HT groups were 8 g (NS) and 7 g (NS), respectively. It was also shown that blood pressures in the HT group were significantly decreased after the 12-week intervention and there was no significant change in blood pressure in the HT group 1 year after intervention. In conclusion, reduced body weight was maintained for 1 year after a 12-week supervised weight-reduction program in both normotensive and mild hypertensive obese subjects. Reduced left ventricular mass was maintained for a long period in both normotensive and mild hypertensive obese subjects and lowered blood pressure was maintained in the mild hypertensive obese subjects.