As part of a Total Health Promotion Plan (THP) at the workplace, quantitative exercise on the basis of the maximum heart rate (HRmax) on a treadmill was continued for six months and the possible relationship with lipid metabolism was evaluated. Subjects were 108 male workers selected from among 1,300 employees of a petroleum complex, having two or more risk factors for circulatory disorders including hypertension, hyperlipidemia, obesity and hyperglycemia confirmed by annual health checkups at the workplace in 1996 and being able to take exercise. They were randomly assigned to one exercise group (54 men) and one control group (54 men). The exercise group was instructed to take 20 minutes' walking exercise on a treadmill, three times a week for six months. The speed of the treadmill was set so that the heart rate while walking would be maintained within the range 70 to 75% of the HRmax. After six months' exercise, decreases in the waist-hip ratio (WHR) and significant increases in HDL- and HDL2 cholesterol (HDL2C) were seen in the exercise group. The HDL2C/HDL3 cholesterol ratio increased in the exercise group, and decreased in the control group, but no effect in improving total cholesterol was observed, Furthermore, in the exercise group an increase was noted in the adaptive walking speed at which the walking in the 70 to 75% HRmax range could be continued. In the present study a 6-month exercise program with the heart rate as an index was proposed as a part of THP. As a result, the exercise group were found to have increases in HDLC and HDL2C, which are known to have an anti-arteriosclerotic action. In addition to these effects on serum lipids, the exercise program proved to be effective in increasing adaptive walking speed and in lowering WHR.

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