The effect of wearing shoes generating microcurrents on body composition and blood lipid concentrations of overweight females

Abstract

[Purpose] This double-blind study was conducted to examine the effect of electric stimulation through micro-currents on body composition and blood lipid concentrations of overweight females after walking exercise. [Subjects] Overweight females in their 20s were randomly allocated to either an experimental group or a control group. Participants in the experimental group were given shoes generating micro-currents, while the control group wore shoes which did not generate micro-currents but were identical in appearance. [Methods] Both groups walked on a treadmill at a comfortable pace for 50 min/day, 5 days/week for 4 weeks, and each participant's body weight, body composition, and blood lipids were examined at baseline and after 4 weeks. [Results] The results show that body weight and the waist-to hip ratio decreased significantly in the experimental group, but no significant differences were seen in blood tests. [Conclusion] Based on the results of this study, we think that, along with regular walking exercise, electric stimulation through micro-currents positively affected the reduction of body weight and body composition of overweight females, helped to maintain the improvement of their health, and facilitated a better quality of life.