Effects of Different Amounts of Resistance Exercise on Heart and Blood Vessel Health in Adults Over 40

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are studying how different amounts of resistance exercise RE affect cardiovascular health in adults who are inactive and overweight or obese. The trial aims to clarify the minimum, optimal, and maximum beneficial doses of resistance exercise for preventing cardiovascular disease CVD. This is important because current guidelines recommend resistance exercise but do not specify the duration needed for health benefits. The study will help improve exercise guidelines and contribute to better prevention strategies for heart disease. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of four groups that combine varying weekly amounts of resistance exercise 0, 30, 60, or 120 minutes with a fixed 60 minutes of aerobic exercise per week. Exercise sessions will be split into two weekly visits over one year. The first six months of exercise will be supervised in a lab setting, and the second six months will take place in a free-living environment where participants receive a free health club membership to continue their assigned exercise dose. All participants will attend healthy lifestyle education sessions and track daily steps, food intake, and activity throughout the year. Participants will undergo physical exams at the start, 6 months, and 12 months, including measurements of blood pressure, blood lipids, body composition, and aerobic and muscular fitness. The main outcome is the change in a composite cardiovascular risk score after 6 months. Additional measures include arterial stiffness and inflammatory markers. Researchers will also assess exercise adherence, especially during the unsupervised second half of the study, to understand long-term effects of resistance exercise doses on heart health.

Dose-Response to Resistance Exercise on Cardiovascular Health