Eighty healthy males aged from 26 to 34 years were studied to evaluate the effects of regular physical training on body composition, respiratory functions, circulatory functions, blood constituents, and physical fitness. The physical training consisted of jogging, volleyball, handball, socker, judo, fencing, and others. The combination of these sports were assigned to all the subjects to be performed for 130 minutes every week-day from April, 1979 to January, 1980.
1) The subjects had, on the average, 518 g of carbohydrate, 125 g of protein including 74 g of animal protein, and 85 g of fat summing up to 3300 kcal a day. These nutrients intake was 30% to 50% excess over the normal value for male Japanese of the corresponding age. Body weight, however, did not change and body fat decreased in spite of large excess food intake. Serum HDL-cholesterol increased and atherogenic index decreased. These facts lead to a conclusion that the noxious effects of overeating can be cancelled by physical activity.
2) Pulse wave velocity of the aorta which reflects the elasticity of the aortic wall decreased. This means that changes in the physical property of the aorta due to aging process can be reversed through physical training. Decrease in pulse wave velocity dose not always mean the regression of atherosclerosis, but the additional findings such as decrease in body fat and in atherogenic index and increase in HDL-cholesterol support the possibility of regression of aterosclerosis by physical activity.
3) The results of physical fitness test indicated marked improvement of physical abilities which reflect muscular strength, muscular power, muscular endurance, body flexibility, agility, anaerobic power, and aerobic power.