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

Abstract

Background Dyslipidemia is a prevalent cardiovascular risk factor in Qatar, largely driven by sedentary lifestyles. Physical exercise (PE) is a cornerstone of non-pharmacological management; however, its integration into routine clinical practice remains limited. This study examined changes in lipid profiles among adults who participated in a structured 12-week PE program at wellness centers operated by the Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC) in Qatar. Additionally, it explored correlations between lipid changes and sociodemographic and anthropometric parameters. Methodology This retrospective study included adults who completed a 12-week supervised PE program between January 2022 and December 2023 across seven PHCC wellness centers. Participants engaged in moderate-intensity aerobic and resistance exercises three times weekly. Only those who attended ≥85% of sessions and had complete pre- and post-intervention data were included. Data were extracted from electronic medical records and included lipid profiles (total cholesterol, triglycerides (TGs), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), high-density lipoprotein (HDL)) and anthropometric measures (weight, waist circumference (WC), body mass index (BMI), fat mass (FM)). Paired t-tests assessed pre-post differences, and Pearson's correlation examined associations with age, gender, and anthropometrics. Results Among 739 participants (mean age = 48.75 ± 12.83 years; 74.56% female), significant reductions were observed in total cholesterol (from 4.99 ± 0.95 to 4.93 ± 0.77 mmol/L; p = 0.03) and TGs (from 1.26 ± 0.66 to 1.17 ± 0.48 mmol/L; p < 0.001). LDL and HDL changes were not statistically significant. Anthropometric parameters improved significantly, including reductions in weight (p < 0.001), BMI (p < 0.001), WC (p < 0.001), and FM (p < 0.001). Specifically, 31.96% of participants with borderline total cholesterol levels demonstrated a reversal to the normal range among the 97 cases assessed. Notably, 71.43% of the 42 patients reversed their borderline profiles to normal for TGs, LDL, and HDL. Correlation analysis revealed strong associations between lipid subtypes but weak or insignificant associations with age, gender, or anthropometric measures. Conclusions The 12-week structured PE program at PHCC wellness centers led to statistically and clinically meaningful improvements in lipid profiles and body composition. While lipid-lowering effects were modest for some parameters, the intervention effectively normalized borderline lipid levels in a significant proportion of participants. These findings support the integration of structured PE into routine primary care to manage dyslipidemia and reduce cardiovascular risk.

Keywords: aerobic exercises; anthropometric measurements; lipid profile; physical exercise; primary health care; resistance exercise.

Figure 1. Box plot of changes in adult lipid profiles following a 12-week physical exercise program at wellness centers.

(A) Box plot of the mean difference in total cholesterol (mmol/L). (B) Box plot of the mean difference in triglycerides (mmol/L). (C) Box plot of the mean difference in low-density lipoprotein (mmol/L). (D) Box plot of the mean difference in low-density lipoprotein (mmol/L).  Paired t-test. *: P-values <0.05 were considered statistically significant. *: A paired t-test revealed a statistically significant reduction in total cholesterol and triglyceride levels. At the same time, there was no statistically significant difference in either low-density lipoprotein or high-density lipoprotein levels following the physical exercise program (p < 0.05). Despite the presence of outliers, the observed change suggests an important effect of the intervention on the lipid profile.