Effects of Brussels Chicory and Concurrent Exercise Training on HDL Function and Subclass Profiles in Overweight College Students: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

Background: To evaluate the effects of three lifestyle modification strategies—dietary supplementation with phenolic acid-rich Brussels chicory (Cho), Brussels chicory supplementation combined with supervised concurrent resistance exercise and high-intensity interval training (Cho-CT) or mindfulness-enhanced concurrent resistance exercise and high-intensity interval training (Cho-MeCT)—on high-density lipoprotein cholesterol efflux capacity (HDL-CEC) from macrophages and HDL subclass profiles (pre-β-HDL, HDL3, HDL2) in overweight adults. Methods: This study is an 8-week randomized controlled trial in which 97 overweight college students were randomized to Cho, Cho-CT, Cho-MeCT or control group. HDL-CEC from macrophages, the primary outcome, HDL subclass profiles, plasma activities of lecithin, such as cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT) and cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) involved in remodeling HDL subclass profiles and plasma lipid profiles, and apolipoprotein AI were assessed at baseline and post-intervention. Results: Compared with the control treatment, all three lifestyle interventions comparably elicited a 1.18% to 1.78% elevations in HDL-CEC from macrophages (p < 0.001). Their improvements were accompanied by reductions in pre-β-HDL and HDL3 concentrations and increased HDL2 concentrations. However, there were no significant differences in plasma lipid profiles, apolipoprotein A-I, and plasma LCAT and CETP activities among the tested groups. Within the Cho, Cho-CT, and Cho-MeCT groups, changes in HDL-CEC from macrophages were positively correlated with changes in HDL2 levels, whereas weak negative correlations were observed for pre-β-HDL and HDL3, though these associations did not reach statistical significance. No comparable significant correlations were found in the control group. Conclusions: In overweight adults, sustained Brussels chicory supplementation, either alone or combined with concurrent exercise training, may yield comparable favorable changes in HDL-CEC from macrophages and HDL subclass profiles, though effect magnitudes appear modest in this pilot trial.