Metabolic response to 12-weeks of Aqua Zumba® Fitness in obese women

Abstract

Background: The number of obese people is consistently increasing in Malaysia especially among women which expose them to various metabolic and other mortality diseases. The aim of this study was to compare the effect of 12 weeks of Aqua Zumba® Fitness programmes on metabolic diseases indicators between obese young and middle-age women. Methods: Eighty previously sedentary obese (BMI >30 kg/m2) women (age 20-59 years old) were randomized to either a 12-week Aqua Zumba® (AZ, n=40) or control group (C, n=40). Exercise group were involved in 12-weeks of Aqua Zumba® Fitness programmes, 3 times per week, 60 minutes per session, with the intensity of 50-75% of maximum heart rate. Body fat percentage (BF%), visceral fat (VF), waist circumference (WC), resting blood pressure (RBP), blood glucose (BG), and blood lipids (HDL and TG) were measured at baseline (week-0) and post-exercise intervention (week-13). Result: In this study, it has been found that there is significant difference (p<0.05) in changes of BF%, VF, WC, RBP, BG, HDL, and TG following 12-weeks of Aqua Zumba® Fitness programmes in both obese young and middle-age groups. However, obese young group demonstrated significant superior change on the improvement of BF%, WC, and BG (p<0.05) compared to obese middle-age group. Conclusion: As a result, Aqua Zumba® Fitness elicits favorable changes in all metabolic parameters among obese women. Furthermore, aging process affect metabolic responses towards exercise which less prolific result in improvement of BF%, WC, and BG were found in middle-age group.