Effects of Tele-Exercise on Body Weight, Body Mass Index, and Fat Mass of Obese Employees

Abstract

Purpose: Obesity is a growing health problem in Indonesia caused by physical inactivity. Meanwhile, employees are a group that is susceptible to obesity as they often have limited time while working sedentarily in front of a desk or computer, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. This causes risks of many cardiovascular diseases, obesity and can indirectly cause death. Tele-exercise, a live online video exercise, may be the solution to this problem. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to analyse the effects of tele-exercise on body weight, BMI, and fat mass percentage as indicators of obesity. Methods: The research was conducted from July 2020 to January 2021 according to the policy regarding the pandemic. Also, it used a pre-post quasy experimental design. A total of 39 subjects were given tele-exercise involving 2 strength training and 1 cardio training per week for 3 months. Findings: Subsequently, the results showed that exercise had a significant effect (p<0.05) on BMI and body weight, while fat mass percentage only decreased significantly (p<0.05) from the second to third assessment. Originality: To our knowledge, this is the first study analysing the effects of tele-exercise on obese employee’s body weight, body mass index and fat mass. Conclusion: This proves that tele-Exercise is an effective therapy for obesity that does not require a large space, and has beneficial online aspects, especially during the pandemic. The timing of measurement and hydration status should be considered to assess the body composition.