Reported frequency of physical activity, fitness, and fatness in Kuwait.

Abstract

We studied reported frequency of physical activity (PA), body composition, and fitness in Kuwaiti females (n = 84) and males (n = 72), urban office government employees, or students. A sedentary (SED) group reported no or occasional participation in self-directed PA of 30 minutes or more during the week for the last 6 months; group LOF (low frequency) participated in 1-2 sessions/week (walking, jogging, sports such as volleyball, soccer, or gym); group HIF (higher frequency) reported three or more sessions/week. Aerobic fitness was measured using Bruce's treadmill protocol. Body fat and fat-free mass (FFM) were estimated from seven skinfolds and body weight (BW). Grip strength and trunk flexibility were also measured. Maximal O(2) consumption (VO(2)max)/BW was proportional to reported frequency of PA in males and females, indicating reliability of the reported PA frequencies. SED males (%fat > 25), SED and LOF females (%fat > 30) were overweight. In males, LOF PA was associated with lower %fat and higher flexibility than SED, and in females with higher VO(2)max/FFM than SED. LOF females, in contrast to males, were resilient to or exercised at levels insufficient for fat loss but sufficient for aerobic conditioning of the FFM, likely related to the low VO(2)max of females in which PA would have the most effect. HIF PA (>/=3/week) was associated in females with significantly lower %fat and higher flexibility than SED females and no further aerobic conditioning of the FFM, and in males with no further differences in study variables compared with LOF males. Grip strength was higher in males than females but was unrelated to frequency of PA, likely reflecting lack of strength training in the activities of most participants. Thus, low-frequency PA was associated with health benefits both in males (lower %fat) and females (higher VO(2)max/FFM). Probably due to the generally low fitness level of females and, hence, the high aerobic effort (%VO(2)max) required for exercise sufficient to impinge on fat stores, this was only achieved in females participating in higher weekly frequency (>/=3) of PA.