The goal of the INFLAME (Inflammation and Exercise) study, was to determine the effect of exercise training on elevated (≥ 2.0 mg/L) C-reactive protein (CRP) concentrations in initially sedentary women and men.

Participants were sedentary, healthy women and men aged 18 to 75 years with an elevated plasma CRP concentration (≥ 2.0 mg/L). We randomly assigned 170 individuals equally to a no exercise control group or to an exercise group. Exercising individuals participated in 3 or 4 training sessions each week for 4 months progressing to a total energy expenditure of 16 kcal • kg-1 • week-1 (KKW), which is an exercise dose at the upper end of current public health recommendations for physical activity. The target exercise intensity was 50-70% of baseline VO2 max.