Figure 1.

Proposed mechanistic pathway for aerobic exercise induced changes in growth hormone release and ensuing reductions in visceral adipose tissue. Red arrows represent negative effects; green arrows represent positive effects; unbroken red lines represent inhibitory effects; broken green lines represent potential positive pathways of exercise-induced improvements in cardiometabolic health. Obesity and aging contribute to increased visceral adipose tissue, reduced cardiorespiratory fitness, and impaired growth hormone release. Low cardiorespiratory fitness further contributes to impaired growth hormone release as does visceral adipose tissue. Regular aerobic exercise reduces visceral adipose tissue, increases growth hormone release, and increases cardiorespiratory fitness. Regular aerobic exercise may also indirectly improve visceral adipose tissue through increases in cardiorespiratory fitness, which lead to improved growth hormone response and ensuing interactions in visceral adipocytes. Acute aerobic exercise elicits growth hormone release, which increases lipolysis of visceral adipose tissue.