The effect of long-term swimming program on body composition, aerobic capacity and blood lipids in 14–19-year aged healthy girls and girls with type 1 diabetes mellitus

Sandrija Sideravičiūtė, Alina Gailiūnienė, Kristina Visagurskienė¹, Daiva Vizbaraitė

Department of Applied Physiology and Health Education, ¹Department of Track-and-Field Athletics, Lithuanian Academy of Physical Education, Lithuania

Key words: type 1 diabetes mellitus, long-term swimming program, blood lipid/cholesterol.

Summary. Objective. To evaluate the effect of long-term swimming program on body composition, aerobic capacity, and blood lipid/cholesterol level.

Material and methods. Nineteen girls aged 14–19 years with duration of diabetes of 8.1±0.9 years and 28 healthy girls aged 14–19 years participated in the study. Before and after 14-week swimming program, weight, height, and four skinfold thickness were measured, body mass index (kg/m²) and body fat mass (%) were calculated, blood lipid levels (total cholesterol, high-density/low-density lipoprotein, and triglyceride) were estimated. Aerobic capacity was assessed by Ruffie test. Training sessions (each lasted for 45 min) were held twice per week for 14 weeks. A total of 28 trainings were performed in the swimming pool. Workload intensity was corrected by pulse measurement before and after every session in the water.

Results. After 14-week swimming program, body mass index did not change, but body fat mass decreased significantly in healthy (27.2±1.0 vs. 25.5±0.8%, p<0.001) and diabetics (34.8±1.2 vs. 32.1±1.2%, p<0.001) subjects. Both groups improved their aerobic capacity (p<0.01 in healthy and p<0.05 in diabetics). No significant changes in blood lipid profile were found in all subjects, only high-density lipoprotein concentration significantly increased in healthy girls (p<0.001).

Conclusion. Long-term swimming program improved aerobic capacity, reduced body fat mass in all participants, and reduced high-density lipoprotein levels only in healthy subjects.

Correspondence to S. Sideravičiūtė, Lithuanian Academy of Physical Education, Sporto 6, 44221 Kaunas, Lithuania. E-mail: s.sideraviciute@lkka.lt

Received 25 January 2006, accepted 15 May 2006