title: Effects of intensity of aerobics on body composition and blood lipid profile in obese/overweight females.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Obesity is a threat to the health of modern urban citizens, especially women. Aerobic is an effect of exercise which rapidly is developing among urban women. This study was designed to examine the effects of light and moderate aerobic intensity on body composition and serum lipid profile in obese/overweight women living in Isfahan.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-five middle-aged obese/overweight volunteer women (25-40 years, and body mass index (BMI) ≥25 to 30 kg/m(2)) were randomly assigned into three groups: 1. Light aerobics [45-50% heart rate reserve maximum (HRRmax)], 2. Moderate aerobics (70-75% HRRmax), 3. No exercise training (control). Training program lasted for 10 weeks and included three sessions of 60 minutes aerobics per week. The intensity of aerobics was controlled by monitoring heart rate. Body composition was measured using skin fold thickness method. Serum lipid was measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Both light and moderate aerobics significantly improved weight (P < 0.000), fat percent (P < 0.045), BMI (P < 0.000), fat weight (P < 0/031), lean body weight (P < 0.02), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) (P < 0.000), High-density lipoprotein (HDL) (P < 0.000).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings showed that both light and moderate aerobics improved body composition and serum lipid profile in obese/overweight women. Our findings support the application of aerobics for obese/overweight women. Initially, they can start with light programs and proceed to more intense programs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran.
authors.forename: Sayyed Mohammad
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Marandi
authors.forename: Neda Ghadiri Bahram
authors.initials: NG
authors.lastname: Abadi
authors.forename: Fahimeh
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Esfarjani
authors.forename: Hosein
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mojtahedi
authors.forename: Gholamali
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ghasemi
keywords: Aerobic; body composition; lipid profile; obese/overweight women