Effect of behavioral weight-loss program on biomarkers of cardiometabolic disease risk: Heart Health Study randomized trial

ObjectiveThis study aimed to determine whether novel biomarkers of cardiometabolic health improve in response to a 12-month behavioral weight-loss intervention and to compare benefits of diet alone with diet plus physical activity for these biomarkers. MethodsParticipants (N = 374) were randomized to either diet alone (DIET), diet plus 150 min/wk of prescribed moderate-intensity physical activity (DIET + PA150), or diet plus 250 min/wk of prescribed moderate-intensity physical activity (DIET + PA250). Biomarker concentrations were determined using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Mixed models assessed for a time effect, group effect, or group by time interaction. ResultsAll groups significantly improved body weight (time: p < 0.0001), Lipoprotein Insulin Resistance Index score (time: p < 0.0001), Diabetes Risk Index score (time: p < 0.0001), branched-chain amino acid concentration (time: p < 0.0001), and GlycA concentration (time: p < 0.0001), with no group effect or group by time interactions. ConclusionsAll intervention groups prompted a notable beneficial change among biomarkers of insulin resistance and cardiometabolic health. However, the addition of at least moderate-intensity physical activity to a diet-only intervention did not provide any additional benefit. These findings highlight that an average weight loss of approximately 10% profoundly impacts biomarkers of insulin resistance and cardiometabolic disease in adults with overweight or obesity.

Automated summary

This study aimed to determine whether novel biomarkers of cardiometabolic health improve in response to a 12-month behavioral weight-loss intervention and to compare benefits of diet alone with diet plus physical activity for these biomarkers. The results showed that all intervention groups had significant improvements in biomarkers of insulin resistance and cardiometabolic health, but the addition of physical activity to a diet-only intervention did not provide any additional benefit.