Background & aim: Eotaxin, a pro-inflammatory adipokine is secreted from adipose tissue, which its secretion increases in the obese, plays a key role in the pathogenesis of asthma. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of eight weeks’ progressive resistance training on serum eotaxin, non-HDL-c, insulin resistance and some physiological variables in overweight and obese men.

Methods: In the present quasi-experimental study, 20 healthy overweight and obese male (22.75±1.29 yr, 89.22±13.08 kg, 28.36 ±3.98 kg/m²) were participaped and randomly assigned into training (n =10) and control (n =10) groups. Progressive resistance training was carried out for eight weeks (4 d/wk, 60 min/d). Blood samples were taken before, and 48 hours after the last training session to evaluate serum variables. Eotaxin serum concentration were measured by sandwich ELISA method using a special kit manufacturing by Germany ZellBio Company. Dependent and independent t-test and Pearson correlation was employed for data analysis. The criterion of statistical significance was p<0.05.

Results: Independent t-test results indicated no significant changes of the eotaxin serum concentration were seen in the progressive resistance training of the experimental group compared with the control group after eight weeks (p=0.65). On the other hand, the amounts of non-HDL-c (p=0.024), triglyceride (p=0.017) and total cholesterol (p=0.032) significantly decreased. However,  modifications in other variables, such as insulin resistance index, body weight, body fat percentage, body mass index, waist to hip ratio and maximum oxygen consumption were not significant (p>0.05). The results of dependent t-test showed that after eight weeks of progressive resistance training,   changes  of all the variables in the experimental group (except LDL, HDL and insulin) were significant (p<0.05). Finally, in basic terms, the correlation between eotaxin with other variables (other than non-HDL-c) was not statistically significant (p<0.05).

Conclusion: It seems that eight weeks of progressive resistance training can not have a significant effect on eotaxin serum and insulin resistance. However, it caused significant decrease in non-high-density lipoprotein, triglycerides and cholesterol as cardiovascular risk factors. Perhaps due to the intensity and high volume of this work, further study is suggested.