Impact of Strength Training on Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) in Ovariectomized Female Mice

Abstract

Lifestyle and increased consumption of high-fat diet largely contribute to the development of obesity, insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes (DM2), and cardiovascular disease. Moreover, cardiovascular diseases associated with metabolic complications, such as insulin resistance and obesity, are less prevalent in young women than in men of the same age or postmenopausal women. Several mechanisms are currently considered to cause insulin resistance, such as abnormal lipid metabolism and ectopic lipid accumulation, mitochondrial dysfunction, as well as inflammation and endoplasmic reticulum stress. One of the consequences of the Western lifestyle and high-fat diet is Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD), which affects about 30% of adults and up to 10% of children in developed countries. Alternatives such as lifestyle changes are part of the treatment of NAFLD, and exercise is paramount to improving these pathological conditions. Strength training, depending on its relation between intensity, frequency, and volume of exercises, has been studied in the literature for its metabolic and physiological adaptations, improving insulin resistance and reducing liver fat. In this sense the general objective of this project is to study the effect of strength training on the progression of NAFLD in ovariectomized female mice.