OBJECTIVE: Our objective was to examine the effects of exercise training (EXS) on quality of life (QoL) in highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART)-treated HIV-positive (HIV+) subjects with body fat redistribution (BFR) in Rwanda. METHODS: The effects of a randomised controlled trial of EXS on QoL were measured using World Health Organisation Quality of Life (WHOQOL)-BREF in HIV+ subjects with BFR randomised to EXS (n = 50; BFR+EXS) or no exercise training (n = 50; BFR+noEXS). RESULTS: At 6 months, scores on the psychological (1.3 (0.3) versus 0.5 (0.1); p < 0.0001), independence (0.6 (0.1) versus 0.0 (0.0); p < 0.0001), social relationships (0.6 (0.2) versus 0.0 (0.0); p < 0.0001) and HIV HAART-specific QoL domains (1.4 (0.2) versus -0.1 (0.2); p < 0.0001) improved more in BFR+EXS than BFR+noEXS group, respectively. Self-esteem (1.3 (0.8) versus 0.1 (0.6); p < 0.001), body image (1.5 (0.6) versus 0.0 (0.5); p < 0.001) and emotional stress (1.6 (0.7) versus 0.2 (0.5); p < 0.001) improved more in the BFR+EXS group than BFR+noEXS group, respectively. Psychological (1.5 (0.2) versus 1.1 (0.3); p < 0.0001), social relationship (0.8 (0.2) versus 0.4 (0.2); p < 0.0001), and HIV HAART-specific well-being (1.8 (0.2) versus 1.0 (0.0); p < 0.0001) improved more in BFR+EXS female than male subjects. CONCLUSIONS: Exercise training improved several components of QoL in HAART-treated HIV+ African subjects with BFR. Exercise training is an inexpensive and efficacious strategy for improving QoL in HIV+ African subjects, which may improve HAART adherence and treatment initiatives in resource-limited areas of sub-Saharan Africa.

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