Context: Limited data are available regarding the impact of caloric restriction (CR) in combination with resistance training (RT) on the metabolic profile of postmenopausal women.

Objective: To determine whether RT adds to CR in improving body composition and the metabolic profile.

Design and Setting: Six-month randomized clinical trial.

Patients: 107 postmenopausal women (BMI > 27 kg/m²).

Intervention: 6-month caloric restriction alone or in combination with a resistance training program.

Main outcome measures: Fat mass (FM), lean body mass (LBM), abdominal subcutaneous fat (ScF) and visceral fat (VF), fasting lipids, insulin sensitivity, resting blood pressure and inflammation markers.

Results: Both groups were similar at baseline and significantly decreased body weight, BMI, FM, %FM, abdominal ScF and VF after the study (P < 0.001), with greater losses of %FM and trunk FM in the CR + RT group (P < 0.05). LBM significantly decreased in the CR group (-0.9 ± 2.4 kg, P< 0.005), but not in the CR+RT group (-0.4 ± 2.2 kg, P= NS). Both groups significantly improved plasma triglycerides, fasting insulin level, glucose disposal and markers of the inflammation profile after weight loss (P < 0.05); with no difference between groups. No improvements were observed for the other variables of interest in both groups.

Conclusions: CR+RT was associated with a better preservation in LBM and greater losses in %FM and trunk FM compared to a CR alone. However, CR+RT was not associated with additional improvements in the metabolic profile compared to CR alone.