The aerobic exercise system for increasing Body Mass Index, waist circumference of overweight and obese students ages 20-22

Abstract

Aerobic exercise has been widely recognized as an efficacious intervention for enhancing students’ body mass index and waist circumference, particularly among individuals classified as overweight and obese. However, a comprehensive search for studies conducted within the context of higher education in the Indonesia yielded no existing research. This study investigates the impact of aerobic activities on male students aged 20 – 22 [(N21 YEARS OLD = 9(45.00%), N20 YEARS OLD = 7(35.00%), N22 YEARS OLD = 4(20.00%); age mean of mean = 20.85 ± 0.75] from a selected higher education institution in the country. The present study employed an experimental research methodology, utilizing a sample of male college students who were overweight or obese. The sample size was divided equally, with a total of 20 participants (N = 20). The participants engaged in a 12-week aerobic fitness regimen consisting of one-hour session, three times per week. Independent samples t-test was used to examine the difference in the performance of both groups in relation to their BMI and WC post-test scores, while paired t-test was employed to compare the difference in the pre-test and post-test scores on participants’ BMI and WC. Based on the results, a notable disparity in performance was detected between the two groups, with obese students demonstrating a considerable enhancement in their BMI [t(15.887) = −9.797, p < 0.05]. On the other hand, no significant difference was observed in the performance of the groups in terms of WC [t(16.665) = −0.505, p = 0.620]. A notable disparity was noted in the pre- and post-test scores of the participants’ BMI and WC subsequent to engaging in a 12-week regimen of aerobic exercise, both in a general sense (BMI [t(19) = 14.439, p < 0.05 and WC t(19) = 14.333, p < 0.05) and within each group [Overweight: BMI t(9) = 14.488, p < 0.05] and WC t(9) = 15.057, p < 0.05; Obese: BMI t(9) = 7.922, p < 0.05] and WC t(9) = 7.746, p < 0.05]. Based on the findings, it can be inferred that involving male students who are overweight or obese in a meticulously planned aerobic exercise regimen has the potential to yield substantial improvements in their BMI and WC. This, in turn, may lead to increased performance in physical activity. Limitations and future research endeavors are hereby presented.