Improvements cardiometabolic risk factors in Latin American Amerindians (the Mapuche) with concurrent training

Abstract

Our aim was to investigate the effects of 12 weeks of CT (ie, high‐intensity interval and resistance training) in Mapuche adults from Chile and in their peers of European descent. In total, 96 hyperglycemic adult women (mean age 46 years [95% confidence interval; 38, 53]) were divided in four groups: Mapuche CT (Map‐CT, n = 14) or control group (Map‐CG, n = 44), and European CT (Eur‐CT, n = 14) or control group (Eur‐CG, n = 23). The following endpoints were analyzed at baseline and after 12 weeks: anthropometric (body mass, body mass index, waist circumference), body composition (fat mass, muscle mass, lean mass), cardiovascular (systolic [SBP]/diastolic [DBP] blood pressure), metabolic (blood fasting glucose and total cholesterol), and muscle strength (handgrip of dominant/non‐dominant arm). There were significant positive changes in body mass, body fat, and muscle mass (P < 0.0001) in both Map‐CT and Eur‐CT groups, whereas waist circumference was decreased significantly only in the Eur‐CT group (P < 0.0001). Both Map‐CT and Eur‐CT groups showed decreased levels of fasting glucose (P < 0.05) and total cholesterol after the intervention (P < 0.0001). Also, both Map‐CT (P < 0.05) and Eur‐CT (P = 0.01) groups showed a lowered SBP. Finally, significant increases were observed after training in handgrip strength (dominant arm) in Map‐CT and Eur‐CT groups (both P < 0.0001). CT led to similar improvements in cardiometabolic risk factors for metabolic syndrome development in Mapuche and European participants, with additional improvements in other anthropometric, body composition, cardiovascular, metabolic, and muscle strength parameters related to the prevention of metabolic syndrome. These results suggest future more complex studies.