Effect of physical activity on body water in sedentary young underweight and obese women

Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to examine the effect of a walking exercise on body water in order to restore body water and reduction dehydration among sedentary obese and thin women. Forty young untrained girls between the age of 20-25 years (obese n=20, BMI>30 and thin n=20, BMI<20) volunteered to participate in this study. Participants were randomly assigned to two exercises (obese=10, thin=10) and two control (obese=10, thin=10) groups matched by BMI. DXA was used to measure each subject's body water, percentage body fat and lean mass. Serum estrogen level by radioimmunoassay (RIA) was assessed. Each walking session was 30 min long at an intensity corresponding to 50-75% of maximal age adjusted heart rate, 3 days per week for 2 months. Percent body fat and lean mass were affected positively by exercise program and significant change was observed in Serum estrogen and body water in both exercise group (p<0.05-0.001). In conclusion this study demonstrated to 30 minutes walking exercise improved adaptation of body fluids and to exercise training in both obese and thin sedentary women.

Key words:

walking exercise, body water, obese