The effect of high-intensity functional training on miR-673 and High-sensitivity C-reactive protein in obese and overweight women

Shakib, Amir; Zarei, Mehdi; Zolfi, Hamid Reza

doi:10.48308/joeppa.2025.240785.1382

The effect of high-intensity functional training on miR-673 and High-sensitivity C-reactive protein in obese and overweight women

Articles in Press

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ Department of Exercise Physiology, Faculty of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran

² Department of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, University of Neyshabur, Neyshabur, Iran

³ Department of Physical Education and Sport Science, National University of Skills (NUS), Tehran, Iran

10.48308/joeppa.2025.240785.1382

Abstract

Background and Purpose: Obesity has been a health problem of growing importance worldwide; its prevalence is increasing in both developed and developing countries. Overweight and obesity are associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases. Several studies have shown the relationship between obesity and cardiovascular diseases. It has recently been reported that functional training is effective in reducing the percentage of fat in obese individuals and can be used as a potentially useful strategy to combat obesity and inflammation. Given the role of obesity and chronic inflammation in the development of cardiovascular diseases and metabolic disorders and the importance of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) in the risk and incidence of cardiovascular diseases, the aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of high-intensity functional training on the expression of miR-637 and high-sensitivity Hs-CRP in obese and overweight women..
Materials & Methods: In this quasi-experimental study, 20 overweight and obese women were randomly divided into two groups: high-intensity functional training (n = 9) and control (n = 11). Subjects in the training group performed high-intensity functional training 3 sessions per week for 8 weeks. The exercises were performed at an intensity of ≤ 7 on the pressure perception index. Before and after 8 weeks, anthropometric measurements and blood samples were taken to measure miR-637 and Hs-CRP. To examine and compare the differences between groups after the intervention, the analysis of covariance statistical test was used, and to examine the differences and changes within groups, the paired t-test was used. Analyses were performed at a significance level of P < 0.05, and SPSS version 16 software was used to analyze the data.
Results: The results showed that after eight weeks of high-intensity functional training, body weight (p=0.00), body mass index (p=0.00), and fat percentage (p=0.00) were significantly reduced in the experimental group compared to the control group. Between-group findings showed that after eight weeks of high-intensity functional training, miR-637 was significantly reduced in the experimental group compared to the control group (p=0.001). After eight weeks, no significant difference was observed in Hs-CRP between the groups (p=0.097). However, within-group findings showed that Hs-CRP levels in the experimental group were significantly reduced in the post-test compared to the pre-test (p=0.004).
Conclusion: The results of the present study showed that eight weeks of high-intensity functional training is effective in reducing weight and body fat percentage in overweight or obese women. These exercises may also be effective in improving the complications of overweight and obesity by reducing miR-637 and partially improving Hs-CRP.

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