Aerobic-training effects on health characteristics of HIV-positive adults under BONEPWA, Gaborone.

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to compare the pre and post 12 weeks of aerobic training effects on lipid profile, CD4 count, body composition and aerobic capacity of adult HIV-positive individuals on highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) under Botswana Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS (BONEPWA). All participants were subjected to 12 weeks of moderate intensity aerobic training, three times a week for 60 minutes per session at the University of Botswana gymnasium. The quasi-experimental multimethod design was used. After individuals from BONEPWA volunteered for the study, purposive sampling through inclusion and exclusion criteria was used to select participants into the study. There were 28 participants who met the inclusion criteria (23 females and 5 males). After 6 weeks one female dropped out of the study. They were of age 18 to 45 years. The significant differences between variables (CD4 count, lipid profile, body composition and VO2 max) at baseline and 12th week in the participants were compared using the paired student t-test. The significant differences between health related quality of life (HRQoL) variables (Physical- Health Composite Scores (PCS) and Mental-Health Composite Score (MCS) measures) at baseline, after 8 weeks and post 12 weeks in the participants were compared using the repeated ANOVA and using the paired t-test for baseline and week 12. All analysis was done using statistical package for the social sciences (SPSS) version 24.0 software. The alpha value was set at p<0.05 level of significance. Statistically significant (p< 0.05) improvements were found in body mass index, visceral fat, VO2 max and MCS measures after intervention when using paired t test. There were no statistically significant (p>0.05) improvements in, body fat percentage (BF%), body muscle percentage (BM%), CD4 count, total cholesterol (TC), high density lipoprotein (HDL), low density lipoprotein (LDL), triglycerides (T) and PCS measures after intervention. A repeated measure ANOVA using the Sphericity Assumed determined mean value of MCS was not statistically significant between assessment stages (pre-test, week 8 and post-test) (F (1.33, 33.64) =2.67, p = .079). Post hoc test using the Bonferroni correction revealed a slight increase in the value of MCS at all assessment stages (78.88 ± 14.33, 83.22 ± 13.81, and 85.03 ± 10.53). A repeated measure ANOVA with the Huynh- Feldt correction determined the mean value of PCS was not statistically significant between assessment stages (pre-test, week 8 and post-test) (F (2, 52) =1.81, P =.18). Post hoc test using the Bonferroni correction revealed a slight increase in the value of PCS at all assessment stages (77.33 ± 14.02, 80.78 ± 15.03 and 83.19 ± 12.35). HIV positive individuals can be advised to engage in regular aerobic training 3 times a week for 60 minutes for significant improvements in VO2 max and BMI especially when on HAART. Overall the research is relatively preliminary therefore there could be replication of the study by other researchers.