Walking at speeds close to the preferred transition speed as an approach to obesity treatment

Increasing energy expenditure through certain exercise is an important component of effective interventions to enhance initial weight loss and prevent weight regain.

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of a 16-week weight loss exercise programme on morpho-functional changes in female adults and to examine the programme effects on two subpopulations with different levels of obesity.

Fifty-six middle-aged women were divided into 2 groups according to their body mass index (BMI): 25-29.9 kg/m2--overweight (OW) and > or =30 kg/m2--obese (OB). The exercise protocol included a walking technique based on hip rotation at horizontal plane at speeds close to the preferred transition speed (PTS). At the initiation of the study and after 16 weeks of the programme, anthropometric, morphological and cardiovascular parameters of all subjects were assessed. The main effects of Group (OW and OB) and Time and the interaction effect of Group by Time were tested by time repeated measures general linear model (mixed between-within subjects ANOVA).

Mean weight loss during the programme was 10.3 kg and 20.1 kg in OW and OB, respectively. The average fat mass (FM) loss was 9.4 kg in OW and 16.9 kg in OB. The mixed ANOVA revealed a significant group by time interaction effects for waist circumference, body weight, body water, fat free mass, FM, %FM and BMI (p < 0.05).

The applied exercise protocol has proved as beneficial in the treatment of obesity, since it resulted in a significant weight loss and body composition changes. The reduction in body weight was achieved mainly on account of the loss of fat mass.