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Doha, Qatar: A recent study from Qatar has shown that regular, supervised physical activity can help improve blood fat levels and reduce health risks related to heart disease.
The study focused on adults who joined a 12-week exercise program at Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC) wellness centers.
The study, titled “Changes in Adult Lipid Profiles Following a 12-Week Physical Exercise Program at Wellness Centers, Primary Health Care Corporation, Qatar: A Retrospective Cohort Study With Pre-post Comparison,” was published in the National Library of Medicine, the world’s largest biomedical library.
Researchers tracked changes in key blood fats — total cholesterol, triglycerides (TGs), LDL (bad cholesterol), and HDL (good cholesterol) — before and after the exercise program. The program included a mix of aerobic and strength-training exercises done three times a week.
Results showed that participants had clear health improvements. While total cholesterol dropped slightly on average, about 32% of those with borderline high levels saw their results move into the healthy range. Triglyceride levels improved the most, with 71% of borderline cases returning to normal. LDL and HDL levels also showed positive changes, though not as strongly across all participants.
In addition to better blood fat levels, the study found that people lost weight and body fat and reduced their waist size — all signs of improved overall health.
These physical improvements likely played a role in better blood fat levels.
The study included people mostly between the ages of 31 and 65, with women making up about three-quarters of the participants.
Interestingly, the results showed that neither age nor gender made a big difference in how well people responded to the program, although other research suggests that fitness level and hormone differences may influence results.
Researchers pointed out that, while the exercise program had clear benefits, there were some limits to the study. Since there was no control group (people who did not exercise for comparison), it’s hard to say how much of the improvement was due only to the program.
Other factors, like diet or personal habits, may also have played a role.
Despite these limitations, the findings are encouraging. They show that structured physical activity can be a powerful tool in managing unhealthy blood fat levels and reducing the risk of long-term illnesses like heart disease.
The researchers recommend including exercise programs like this as a regular part of primary health care in Qatar.
They also suggest adding more fitness trainers to health teams, training doctors to guide patients on exercise, and launching awareness campaigns to help people stay motivated and involved.
