Feasibility And Health Changes From Following The Physical Activity And Eating Guidelines In Women: A Pilot Study

PURPOSE: The effects of exercise and diet interventions on women's health are understudied. This study’s objective was to determine the feasibility and the impact of following guidelines-based physical activity and healthy eating recommendations on women’s health. METHODS: Sedentary women (n = 30; 53 ± 13 yrs; 28.7 ± 6 kg/m2) with moderate-to-high diabetes risk (CANRISK) were randomized into an exercise-only (EX; n = 12), exercise+diet (EX+D; n = 8) or control stretching (CON; n = 10) intervention for 6 weeks. The hybrid (in-person+virtual+home-based) intervention followed Canadian guidelines in diet and physical activity (150 min/wk MVPA; 2x/wk strenght training). Diet quality (Health Eating Food Index), body mass, carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity, brachial artery flow-mediated dilation, insulin resistance (Matsuda index), cardiorespiratory fitness (maximal oxygen uptake), anxiety and depression symptoms (General Anxiety Disorder 7-item scale and Beck Depression Inventory) were assessed at baseline and following the intervention. Adherence was considered as >80% of attendance to strength or prescribed min/wk for aerobic training. Intervention enjoyability was assessed using a Likert scale ranging from 1-5. Statistical analysis was performed using ANOVA to compare the changes in the health outcomes across the groups. RESULTS: Adherence rates for strength and aerobic exercise were 90% and 75%, respectively. In the intervention groups (EX + EX+D), 95% of participants (in-person intervention), 85% (virtual intervention), and 65% (home-based intervention) strongly agreed or agreed that the intervention was enjoyable (Likert scale scores 4-5). After the intervention, 75% of participants expressed interest in continuing exercise. There was no effect of intervention or time on cardiometabolic or mental health outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: A short term exercise, with or without a diet quality intervention, was not enough to significantly improve cardiometabolic or mental health metrics in sedentary women. However, the intervention was feasible and enjoyable for pre- and post-menopause woman. Interventions longer than 6 weeks may be needed to detect changes on these key health outcomes. This pilot study is currently being expanded among a larger sample (n = 180) and a longer intervention time (24 wks).