PPAR α Gene Is Involved in Body Composition Variation in Response to an Aerobic Training Program in Overweight/Obese.

The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship of the polymorphism in Intron 7 G/C (rs 4253778) of the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPAR α ) gene with the magnitude of changes in the body composition of an overweight and obese population that underwent an aerobic training program. Fifty-eight previously inactive men and women, body mass index (BMI) 31.5 ± 2.8 kg/m2 , 46.5% ( n = 27) genotyped as CC genotype and 53.5% ( n = 31) as CA+AA, underwent a 12-week aerobic training (walking/running). Aerobic capacity (ergospirometry), body composition (DXA), and nutritional assessment were made before and 48 h after the experimental protocol. Two-way ANOVA, chi-square test, and logistic regression were used ( p < 0.05). Twenty-seven volunteers (46.5%) were identified as CC genotype and 31 (53.5%) as CA+AA genotype. Time-group interaction showed that there was no difference in these between two allele groups. However, differences in distribution of respondents or nonresponders according to allele A were identified for fat mass ( p ≤ 0.003), percentage fat mass ( p ≤ 0.002), the waist ( p ≤ 0.009), abdomen ( p ≤ 0.000), and hip ( p ≤ 0.001), this difference being independent for the fat mass. Meanwhile, sex, age, and nutritional management have also been found to be influential factors. It is concluded that the PPAR α gene is involved in varying body composition in response to an aerobic training program.