Tehran University of Medical Sciences Iranian Journal of Public Health 2251-6085 51 11 2022 11 09 2619 2628 Maryam Zarkesh Cellular and Molecular Endocrine Research Center, Research Institute for Endocrine Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Zahra Nozhat 1. Cellular and Molecular Endocrine Research Center, Research Institute for Endocrine Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran 2. Institute of Smart Biomedical Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou 310018, China Mahdi Akbarzadeh Cellular and Molecular Endocrine Research Center, Research Institute for Endocrine Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Maryam S Daneshpour Cellular and Molecular Endocrine Research Center, Research Institute for Endocrine Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Behnaz Mahmoodi Nutrition and Endocrine Research Center, Research Institute for Endocrine Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Golaleh Asghari 1. Nutrition and Endocrine Research Center, Research Institute for Endocrine Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran 2. Department of Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics, Faculty of Nutrition Sciences and Food Technology, National Nutrition and Food Technology Research Institute, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Mehdi Hedayati Cellular and Molecular Endocrine Research Center, Research Institute for Endocrine Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Afsoon Daneshafrooz Cellular and Molecular Endocrine Research Center, Research Institute for Endocrine Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Rani Fedoruk Department of Agricultural, Food & Nutritional Science, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada Emad Yuzbashian Department of Agricultural, Food & Nutritional Science, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada Parvin Mirmiran 1. Nutrition and Endocrine Research Center, Research Institute for Endocrine Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran 2. Department of Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics, Faculty of Nutrition Sciences and Food Technology, National Nutrition and Food Technology Research Institute, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Alireza Khalaj Department of Surgery, Tehran Obesity Treatment Center, Shahed University, Tehran, Iran 2021 05 09 2021 11 14 Background: Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) has recently been studied for its potential influence on the functional response of the human body to exercise. We aimed to investigate the association of habitual physical activity (PA) with PPARγ mRNA level in the visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissues (VAT and SAT) in non-obese and obese non-diabetic adults. Methods: VAT and SAT were obtained from 95 individuals, including 40 non-obese (BMI<30kg/m2) and 55 obese (BMI≥30kg/m2) who underwent elective abdominal surgery (Tehran, Iran, 2012-2015). The assessment of habitual PA was performed by a valid and reliable International PA Questionnaire-long form, and the metabolic equivalent of task (MET) was evaluated. Real-time quantitative reverse transcriptase-PCR evaluated the PPARγ expression in VAT and SAT. Results: PPARγ expression in both VAT (1.18 vs. 0.37 fold change, P<0.001) and SAT (2.07 vs. 0.29 fold change, P=0.004) among obese subjects was higher than the non-obese group. After controlling for age, sex, and total energy intake, a positive association was found between total METs and PPARγ expression in both VAT and SAT among obese participants (β=0.22, P=0.007 and β=0.12, P<0.001, respectively). Among obese participants, there was a direct association between leisure time-related METs with VAT PPARγ expression (β=0.05, P=0.026). Moreover, in this group, an association was observed between occupation-related METs with PPARγ in both fat tissues (β=0.11, P=0.002 and β=0.17, P=0.013, respectively), and household work-related METs with SAT PPARγ (β=0.21, P=0.011). Conclusion: High PA as an indispensable part of a healthy lifestyle may exert its beneficial effect by regulating PPARγ expression.   https://ijph.tums.ac.ir/index.php/ijph/article/view/24870 https://ijph.tums.ac.ir/index.php/ijph/article/download/24870/7788