Football training improves cardiovascular health profile in sedentary, premenopausal hypertensive women

The present study examined the effects of short-term recreational football training on blood pressure (BP), fat
mass, and fitness in sedentary, 35–50-year-old premenopausal women with mild hypertension. Forty-one
untrained, hypertensive women were randomized into a
football training group (n = 21; FTG) and a control group
(n = 20; CON). FTG performed 45 ± 1 1-h small-sided
football training sessions during the 15-week intervention
period. BP, body composition (dual-energy x-ray
absorptiometry), blood lipid profile, and fitness level were
determined pre- and post-intervention. After 15 weeks,
systolic and diastolic BP, respectively, were lowered more
(P < 0.05) in FTG (−12 ± 3 and −6 ± 2 mmHg) than in
CON (−1 ± 1 and 1 ± 2 mmHg). Total body fat mass
decreased more (P < 0.05) in FTG than in CON during
the 15-week intervention period (−2.3 ± 0.5 kg vs
0.4 ± 0.3 kg). After 15 weeks, both total cholesterol
(−0.4 ± 0.1 mmol/L vs 0.1 ± 0.2 mmol/L) and triglyceride
(−0.2 ± 0.1 mmol/L vs 0.3 ± 0.2 mmol/L) were lowered
more (P < 0.05) in FTG than in CON. Yo-Yo intermittent
endurance level 1 test performance increased more
(P < 0.05) in FTG than in CON (111 ± 18% vs 1 ± 3%)
during the 15-week intervention period. In conclusion,
short-term football training resulted in a marked reduction in BP and induced multiple improvements in fitness
and cardiovascular health profile of untrained, premenopausal women with mild hypertension.