A Low-Fat Diet Combined with Moderate-Intensity Aerobic Exercise is More Effective than a Low-Fat Diet or Aerobic Exercise Alone on Dyslipidemia and Depression Status in Obese Patients: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Background & Objective: Exercise and dietary interventions are used to control dyslipidemia and depression in obese individuals, whilst rare investigations have examined the concurrent effects of a low-fat diet and moderate-intensity aerobic exercise training (MIAET) on dyslipidemia and depression in obese patients. Hence, we assessed the potential influences of a low-fat diet combined with MIAET on blood lipids and depression in those individuals. Methods: Forty-two obese patients aged 30-50 years have been enrolled in this randomized controlled trial. They have been randomized equally into MIAET group (n=14, 60-70% of the maximum heart rate (Max HR), three sessions a week), a low-fat diet group (n=14, fat, 30% Kcal/day), and a low-fat diet plus MIAET (n=14) for 10 consecutive weeks. Body mass index (BMI), lipid profile, and Hamilton depression rating scale (HDRS) have been assessed on two occasions, pre and post-10 weeks. Results: It was demonstrated that a low-fat diet group showed an improvement in total cholesterol (T-Ch), p=0.046, with no changes in triglycerides (TGs), p=0.343, low-density lipoproteins (LDL-s), p=0.187, and high-density lipoproteins (HDLs), p=0.224; however, MIAET group showed an improvement in TGs, p=0.042, HDLs, p=0.038 with no changes in T-Ch, p=0.126, and LDLs, p=0.368. Regarding the low-fat diet plus MIAET group, significant improvements were identified in TGs, p=0.003, T-Ch, p<0.001, LDLs, p=0.004, and HDLs, p<0.001. For the depression status, all groups showed a significant improvement in HDRS, p<0.001, with a low-fat diet plus MIAET group showing greater advantages, p<0.05. Conclusion: The results of the current trial suggest an important implication for promoting improvement in blood lipids and a reduction in depression status in obese patients with dyslipidemia following 10-week of a concurrent low-fat diet and moderate-intensity aerobic exercise more than low-fat diet or MIAET alone.