Effects of whole body vibration exercise on body weight and body composition in young adults

Abstract

Background: Whole body vibration exercise is currently being researched for potential therapeutic and exercise performance benefits. Little is known about the physiological effects of whole body vibration on humans. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of whole body vibration on body weight and body compositions. Methods: One hundred and twelve healthy college students were separated into two groups; one was the whole body vibration exercise group, the other the control group. The exercise program was more than 10 minutes of whole body vibration exercise and the frequency was more than 3 times per week during three months. Body weight and body composition were checked at the beginning and the end point of this study. Results: A total of 91 students finished this study (56 males, 35 females). No significant difference was found in body weight, body mass index, muscle mass, fat mass, body fat ratio, visceral fat area between the study and the control groups. In females, slight increase as found in body weight (exercise vs. control; 1.1 ± 1.1 kg vs. 0.3 ± 1.9 kg, P = 0.03), body mass index (0.5 ± 0.4 kg/m2, 0.0 ± 0.5 kg/m2, P = 0.002), fat mass (0.8 ± 0.9 kg, -0.3 ± 1.4 kg, P = 0.008), and fat ratio (1.0 ± 1.5%, -0.6 ± 2.4%, P = 0.03) in the study group compared with the control group, clinically significant or not. The increase mainly occurred in normal body mass index group in the female study group (P < 0.05). Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that whole body vibration exercise has no significant effect on reducing body weight and fat mass, visceral fat area and on increasing muscle mass. © 2009 by The Korean Academy of Family Medicine.