Water exercise as a prescription exercise for obese women

Abstract

This study was conducted to determine the effect of exercise training in water (water exercise) in sedentary obese women. Twenty-three women, aged 23-58 years (mean±SD 41.7±11.7), participated in this study. Any volunteer with diagnosed disease or taking prescribed medication that might influence the outcome of this study was excluded from participation. The women were allocated either to the exercise group (n = 15, weight = 65.2±12.3 kg, %body fat = 39.2±7.0%) or the control group (n = 8, 62.4±8.3 kg, 34.0±2.4%), respectively. The exercise program consisted of dynamic movements for 60 minutes per session, three days per week for 16 weeks. The exercise intensity was set at approximately 65% of the age-related maximal heart rate. The attendance rate on the program was 89.2±3.0%. The body mass and %body fat of the exercise group decreased significantly by 4.7±1.9 kg (P<0.05) and 3.6±2.4% (P<0.01), respectively, compared with the preexercise values. Significant improvements in their aerobic capacity, trunk flexibility and vertical jump (P<0.05) were also observed. Their energy intake and the amount of other daily physical activity remained essentially unchanged throughout the study. No significant changes in any of the parameters measured occurred, in the control group. These findings indicate that water exercise improved the body composition and physical fitness of obese women.