The effects of exercise training and mild caloric restriction on metabolism and fat loss in obese women

Any difference in response to physical training and mild caloric restriction associated with body fat distribution would be important for the treatment of obesity. To address this issue, six lower body obese women (WHR ≤ 0.75) and five upper body obese women (WHR ≥ 0.85) were subjected to an eight week treatment period. The subjects were required to walk for 60 minutes five days a week at an intensity of 50- 65% of their maximum VO₂ (ml•kg^-1•min^-1) . In addition, a self-imposed diet of 1,200 to 1,500 kcal/day was utilized. Anthropometric and descriptive variables included waist to hip ratio (WHR), weight, body mass index (BMI), % fat, fat mass, fat free mass, VO₂ max, resting metabolic rate (RMR) , triglycerides, total cholesterol, total cholesterol to HDL ratio, low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL), and high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL). For all measured variables, a 2 x 2 factorial ANOVA with repeated measures was used to test for significant group differences following the treatment period. Both groups experienced similar decreases in weight (p=.01), BMI (kg/m²) (p=.01), percent fat (p=.02), and fat mass (p=.002). However, neither RMR or VO₂ max changed with the treatment in either group. The results indicate that the present program is a successful program for women with upper body and lower body obese women, whose goal is to lose fat and weight.