Body fat, cardiovascular risk factors and polymorphism in the FTO gene: randomized clinical trial and different physical exercise for adolescents

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of different physical exercise programs and polymorphisms of the FTO (fat mass and obesity-associated gene) on body composition and cardiovascular risk factors in adolescents with overweight and obesity. METHODS: A randomized, parallel, double-blind clinical trial consisting of the adolescent overweight from the state public network, in a simple representative random sample, who participated in an aerobic exercise or weight training intervention for 10 weeks. Anthropometry, body composition, biochemical markers, sexual maturation, and rs9939609 polymorphism in the FTO gene were assessed. 347 adolescents had their characterization of nutritional status. 72 individuals with overweight and obesity were invited to participate. 39 remained for the start of the program and were randomly allocated to both types of intervention. In the end, 26 subjects participated in the intervention programs, with 12 and 14 in the aerobic and weight training programs, respectively. RESULTS: Heterozygous and homozygous bearers of risk allele A participating in the aerobic program showed improvements in glycemia (p = 0.002) and total cholesterol (p = 0.023) and a reduction in body fat mass (p = 0.041). The weight training program reduced glycemia in patients with the risk allele A (p = 0.027). Cameron's stage four sexual maturation participants were 2.1 times more likely to improve their body fat (CI = 1.31-3.39). CONCLUSION: Aerobic exercises produced exclusively a significant decrease in fat mass and total cholesterol in patients with risk allele A. Distinct physical exercise programs may cause diverse changes in risk variables related to the health of adolescents.