Body composition changes in women: effects of high and low exercise intensity

Twenty college-age women participated in a ten-week physical training program involving two intensities of exercise. Eleven women trained at a relatively high exercise intensity (HI) of 840 kgm/min while nine women trained at a low exercise intensity (LI) of 420 kgm/min. Body composition and residual lung volume changes were analyzed before and after the training program for both groups. There were no significant changes in body weight, body density, percent body fat, lean body weight and residual lung volume for the HI group. The LI group exhibited a significant increase in body density (0.0026 density units) and significant decreases in percent fat (1.1%) and residual lung volume (67 ml). Closed circuit metabolic measures indicated that the HI group was working anaerobically for at least a portion of each minute. Results of the study support the contention that to reduce body fat stores an exercise program of low intensity and long duration is required.