INTRODUCTION: Visfatin, a novel adipokine, was revealed to be associated with obesity, but its role in response to exercise training in human is not known. The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of aerobic and resistance training on plasma visfatin in overweight women. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-eight overweight volunteer women (age 34.84 +/- 5.70 y, body mass index 28.82 +/- 3.65 kg/m2, body fat percent 36.34 +/- 3.39% and waist-hip ratio 0.85 +/- 0.04 (means +/- SD)) were randomly divided into 3 groups. 14 subjects participated in an aerobic exercise training (50 min/day, 80 to 85% heart rate-reserve, 4 days/week), 14 subjects participated in a resistance exercise training (50 min/day, 60 to 70% 1-RM, 4 days/week), and 10 overweight women were served as control. Fasting blood samples were collected to assess changes in plasma visfatin, insulin and glucose levels before and after 2 months of the training program. RESULTS: Findings indicated a lower and significant (p < 0.05) post-training change in circulating levels of visfatin and insulin in the resistance training group as compared with the other groups. Body mass index, waist-hip ratio, and %body fat were significantly decreased (p < 0.001) in experimental groups as compared with control group. CONCLUSION: The resistance exercise training-induced reduction of plasma visfatin is most likely the result of weight loss and body composition changes in overweight women.

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