A-37 Free Communication/Poster -Weight Loss: MAY 30, 2007 7:30 AM - 12:30 PM ROOM: Hall E
The prevalence of overweight and obesity is increasing at an alarming rate with 66 percent of U.S. adults either overweight or obese. Increases in BMI are associated with increased risk of several co-morbidities, including hypertension, type 2 diabetes, dyslipidemia, coronary heart disease and some cancers. Most people who try to lose weight do not use the recommended combination of reducing calories and moderate exercise.
PURPOSE: To examine the short term effects of a community-based weight management program on body mass and blood lipids in overweight and obese subjects.
METHODS: Thirty one subjects, nine males and twenty-two females, (mean ± SEM, age:54 ± 2y; height: 1.67 ± 0.2 m; body mass:99.9 ± 0.3 kg; body mass index:36 ± 1 kg/ m2) participated in an eight-week program to determine the effects of a low calorie diet and moderate exercise on body mass, body mass index (BMI), percent body fat, fasting blood glucose, total triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC), low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C), and high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C). Percent body fat was measured using bioelectric impedance, Tanita BF-350 (Arlington Heights, IL) and blood lipids were measured using the Cholestech LDX (Hayward, CA). All subjects followed a 1200 kcal/day diet and daily moderate intensity exercise throughout the 8-week period. Data was collected at weeks one (pretest), and eight (posttest).
RESULTS: Following the eight-week program, there was a significant decrease in weight (5.7 ± 1.0 kg, p<0.01), BMI (2.0 ± 0.3, p<0.01), and percent body fat (2.4% ± 0.8, p<0.05). There was a significant decrease in TC (25.6 mg/dL ±11.3, p<0.001)and LDL-C (11.6 mg/dL ± 3.2, p<0.05). Although, TG decreased on average by 25.6 mg/ dL, it was not statistically significant (p>.05). Fasting blood glucose levels were within the normal range at week one and eight (100 mg/ dL ± 4, 102 mg/ dL ± 4).
CONCLUSIONS: These results show that a short term eight week program consisting of 1200 kcal/day diet in conjunction with daily moderate exercise is sufficient to promote significant changes in weight loss, BMI, % body fat, serum TC, and LDL-C, however, HDL-C and fasting glucose were not affected. Although the reduction in TG may be clinically important it was not statistically significant.