Body composition does not affect reduction effect after the program of physical activity in overweight and obese women
Abstract
Aim of the work: The aim of this pilot study was to find out whether we should expect significant differences in the change of body composition in women with different level of body fat which enter into physical activity programme. Methods: There were 49 obese and overweight women participating it this study.
They were divided into a group of women with level of body fat lower than 40 percent and group of women with level of body fat higher than 40 percent. The average age of women with higher body fat percentage was 47,2 +- 12,3 years and women with lower percentage of body fat 44,5 +- 9,5 years.
Average BMI of women with higher percentage of body fat was 40,6 +- 5,1 kg/m2 and women with lower percentage of body fat was 31,8 +- 4,0 kg/m2. We were investigating the influence of 12 weeks physical activity programme, which had aerobic character, on changes of selected anthropometric parameters as were weight, quantity of body fat or waist circumference, because these particular parameters correlate with other cardiovascular and metabolic risks connected to obesity.
Participants of this study did three or four times a week exercise on fitness or exercise tools in intensity appointed in advance. Outcome: When the physical activity programme finished, we have found out statistically significant decrease in all tracked parameters.
Relative values of changes were in both groups very similar, even in case of decrease of body fat they were the same. It means, that relative value of achieved reduction after physical activity does not depend on level of body fat in obese and overweight women.
That was only differences between the waist circumference and skinfolds - but this difference was not statisticaly significant.