The Impact of Stationary Combined Exercise on Adiponectin and Hs-CRP Levels in Overweight Women

NCT ID: NCT07230873

Last Updated: 2025-11-19

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 22 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2024-01-20
• Study Completion Date: 2024-04-10

Brief Summary

This study looked at whether a specific exercise program can improve inflammatory markers in overweight young women. We tested an eight-week, circuit-style exercise program that combines aerobic and resistance activities (e.g., sit-ups, step jumps, push-ups, jump rope, jumping jacks, medicine-ball lifts). Participants exercised four times per week at a moderate-to-high intensity, with a warm-up and cool-down at each session.

Twenty-two women (ages 20-30 years; BMI 25-31 kg/m²) were randomly assigned to one of two groups: (1) the exercise group completed the training program; (2) the control group continued usual daily activities without a structured program. Before starting and 48 hours after finishing the program, we took fasting blood samples to measure two markers: adiponectin (a hormone made by fat tissue that supports healthy metabolism and has anti-inflammatory effects) and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) (a blood marker of inflammation and cardiovascular risk).

The main outcomes were the changes in adiponectin and hs-CRP from before to after the 8-week period. We also recorded weight, body mass index (BMI), body fat percentage, and fitness (VO₂max). The study was conducted at the Exercise Physiology Laboratory, College of Physical Education and Health, Chongqing College of International Business and Economics (Chongqing, China). The research ethics committee approved the protocol, and all participants provided written informed consent.

Recruitment and data collection are complete. Findings suggest that this circuit-based exercise program can increase adiponectin and lower hs-CRP, alongside improvements in body composition, in overweight young women.

Conditions

Overweight; Obesity; Inflammation, Low-Grade; Cardiovascular Diseases, Risk Factors

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: PREVENTION
• Blinding Strategy: NONE

Study Groups

Combined Exercise Group

Arm 1 reflects the circuit-based combined exercise intervention.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Combined Exercise Group

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Participants completed an eight-week circuit-based combined exercise program, four sessions per week, at an intensity of 70-90% of maximum heart rate. Each session began with a 10-15 minute warm-up (stretching and light jogging) and ended with a 5-10 minute cool-down (walking and stretching). The main exercise protocol included six stations (sit-ups, step jumps, push-ups, jump rope, jumping jacks, and medicine ball lifting), performed in three rounds. The duration at each station progressively increased from 60 seconds (weeks 1-2) to 150 seconds (weeks 7-8), with rest intervals of 30-50 seconds between stations and 3-5 minutes between rounds. Exercise intensity was monitored with a Polar heart rate monitor to ensure participants stayed within the target zone.

Control Group

Arm 2 reflects the no structured exercise condition.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

No Structured Exercise

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Participants in the control group will not receive any structured exercise program during the eight-week study period. They will be instructed to maintain their usual daily routines and refrain from initiating any new organized exercise or training programs beyond their routine physical education classes and everyday activities.

Interventions

Combined Exercise Group

Participants completed an eight-week circuit-based combined exercise program, four sessions per week, at an intensity of 70-90% of maximum heart rate. Each session began with a 10-15 minute warm-up (stretching and light jogging) and ended with a 5-10 minute cool-down (walking and stretching). The main exercise protocol included six stations (sit-ups, step jumps, push-ups, jump rope, jumping jacks, and medicine ball lifting), performed in three rounds. The duration at each station progressively increased from 60 seconds (weeks 1-2) to 150 seconds (weeks 7-8), with rest intervals of 30-50 seconds between stations and 3-5 minutes between rounds. Exercise intensity was monitored with a Polar heart rate monitor to ensure participants stayed within the target zone.

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

No Structured Exercise

Participants in the control group will not receive any structured exercise program during the eight-week study period. They will be instructed to maintain their usual daily routines and refrain from initiating any new organized exercise or training programs beyond their routine physical education classes and everyday activities.

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Other Intervention Names

High-Intensity Circuit-Based Combined Exercise; Combined Stationary Exercise; SCEX Program (Stationary Combined Exercise); Usual Activity; No Exercise Program

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

Female sex Age 20 to 30 years BMI 25 to 31 kg/m² Body weight 63 to 87 kg Generally healthy, without diagnosed chronic illness Willing and able to provide written informed consent Willing to refrain from vigorous physical activity for 48 hours before blood sampling Able to attend 4 supervised training sessions per week for 8 weeks (if assigned to intervention)

Exclusion Criteria

History of cardiovascular disease, hypertension, or diabetes Current smoking or tobacco use Current use of medications or supplements that affect metabolism or inflammatory markers Pregnancy or breastfeeding Contraindications to moderate-to-high intensity exercise on screening Participation in regular vigorous exercise training within the past 6 months Inability or unwillingness to comply with study procedures (e.g., missing >2 consecutive training sessions)

• Minimum Eligible Age: 20 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 30 Years
• Eligible Sex: FEMALE
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Sponsors

Xianjie Zheng

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Xianjie Zheng

College of Physical Education and Health

Responsibility Role: SPONSOR_INVESTIGATOR

Locations

College of Physical Education and Health

Chongqing, , China

Countries

China

Provided Documents

Document Type: Study Protocol

View Document

Document Type: Statistical Analysis Plan

View Document

Document Type: Informed Consent Form

View Document

Other Identifiers

K2016038

Identifier Type: REGISTRY

Identifier Source: secondary_id

College of Physical Education

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id