The effect of long term community based exercise program membership on exercise capacity, adbominal adiposity, and blood lipid profiles in male cardiac patients

Abstract

This retrospective study investigated the effects of membership in a two year cardiac rehabilitation exercise program on cardiovascular risk factors and fitness in male cardiac patients greater than, and less than, 65 years of age. Elderly (n = 58, 71.2 +- 5.0 years) and middle aged (n = 71, 55.9 +- 6.8 years) patients, who had maintained membership for two consecutive years were included in the secondary data analysis. After a two year exercise program membership, both middle aged and elderly groups had significantly increased estimated maximal METs, and treadmill test duration. The increase in estimated maximal METs was significantly greater in the middle aged than in the elderly group. The middle aged group had a small, but significantly decreased waist girth after one year membership, whereas no favorable changes in body fat distribution were found in the elderly group. No significant changes in body mass index were reported in either group. Favorable changes in HDL cholesterol, total/HDL cholesterol, andtriglyceride levels occurred in both groups, however the increase in HDL cholesterol over time was significantly greater in the middle aged, than in the elderly group. No significant changes were found in total cholesterol level in either group. While this community based cardiac rehabilitation program improved fitness and serum lipid levels, the changes were greater in the middle aged than in the elderly group.