Effects of low-calorie diet therapy with and without dumbbell exercise on body fat reduction in obese young women

Abstract

The effects of a low-calorie diet (LCD) therapy with and without dumbbell exercise (aerobic-resistance exercise) on body fat reduction were studied in twelve mildly obese women aged 19-20 years. The subjects were randomly assigned to one of the following two groups: LCD with dumbbell exercise (LCD+DEx group), and LCD only (LCD group). The subjects received a liquid-formula diet based on Micro Diet for 2 meals of their 3 meals per day. Thus, they were restricted to 960±80 kcal (mean±SE) of energy intake per day for 12 weeks. In the LCD±DEx group, subjects also performed dumbbell exercises with a pair of 2-kg dumbbells every day after supper for about 20 min. Subjects underwent several measurements (body composition, oral glucose tolerance test, blood biochemical test) before starting the experiment and after 12 weeks while still dieting. During the 12-week experimental period, body weight and body fat decreased significantly in both LCD+DEx and LCD groups without a reduction in fat free mass (FFM). The decreases in body weight and body fat were larger in the LCD+DEx group, but the differences were not significant. These results suggest that LCD used with Micro Diet decreases body weight and body fat without reducing FFM. Dumbbell exercise may strengthen the effect of LCD on body fat reduction.