Individual Response to Standardized Exercise: Total and Abdominal Adipose Tissue.

PURPOSE: (1) Determine the effect of exercise amount and intensity on the proportion of individuals for whom the adipose tissue (AT) response is above the minimal clinically important difference (MCID); and (2) Examine whether clinically meaningful anthropometric changes reflect individual AT responses above the MCID. METHODS: Men (n = 41) and women (n = 62) (52.7 ± 7.6 yr) were randomized to control (n = 20); low amount low intensity (n = 24); high amount low intensity (n = 30); and high amount high intensity (n = 29) treadmill exercise for 24 wk. The AT changes were measured by MRI. 90% confidence intervals for each individual's observed response were calculated as the observed score ±1.64 × TE (technical error of measurement). RESULTS: For visceral AT, HAHI and HALI had a greater proportion of individuals whose AT change and 90% confidence interval were beyond the MCID compared to controls (P < 0.006). For all other AT depots, all exercise groups had significantly more individuals whose changes were beyond the MCID compared with controls. Of those who achieved a waist circumference or body weight reduction ≥ the MCID, 76% to 93% achieved abdominal, abdominal subcutaneous, and visceral AT changes ≥ the MCID. CONCLUSIONS: Increasing exercise amount and/or intensity may increase the proportion of individuals who achieve clinically meaningful visceral AT reductions. Waist circumference or body weight changes beyond a clinically meaningful threshold are predictive of clinically meaningful abdominal adiposity changes.

Individual Response to Standardized Exercise: Total and Abdominal Adipose Tissue.

PURPOSE: (1) Determine the effect of exercise amount and intensity on the proportion of adipose tissue (AT) responses likely, very likely, and unlikely above the minimal clinically important difference (MCID); and (2) Examine whether clinically meaningful anthropometric changes reflect individual AT responses above the MCID. METHODS: Men (n=41) and women (n=62) (52.7 ± 7.6 years) were randomized to control (N=20); low amount low intensity (LALI, N=24); high amount low intensity (HALI, N=30); and high amount high intensity (HAHI, N=29) exercise for 24 weeks. AT changes were measured by MRI. The probability that individual responses were > MCID after adjusting for technical error of measurement were calculated for each individual and categorized as: 'Unlikely' = < 25%, 'Possibly' = 25-74%, 'Likely' = 75-94%, 'Very Likely' = 95-100% chance. RESULTS: The HALI (total AT) and HAHI (total AT, visceral AT) groups had a greater proportion of individuals whose response was "very likely" ≥ MCID vs controls (p<0.006). Across the abdominal AT depots, for individuals who reduced WC or body weight ≥ 2 cm or 2 kg, respectively, 51-69% of responses were "likely" or "very likely" beyond the MCID. CONCLUSION: Increasing exercise amount and/or intensity may increase the proportion of individuals deemed 'very likely' to achieve clinically meaningful AT reductions. The use of anthropometric change to identify individual response for adiposity reduction remains a challenge.