title: Effects of martial arts exercise on body composition, serum biomarkers and quality of life in overweight/obese premenopausal women: a pilot study.
abstract: Various exercise interventions have been shown to benefit weight control and general health in different populations. However, very few studies have been conducted on martial arts exercise (MAE). The objective of this pilot study is to evaluate the efficacy of 12 weeks of MAE intervention on body composition, serum biomarkers and quality of life (QOL) in overweight/obese premenopausal women. We found that subjects in the MAE group did not lose body weight, while they significantly decreased fat-free mass and muscle mass as compared to those in the control group, who demonstrated an increase in these parameters. The MAE group demonstrated an increase in serum IGF-I concentration, but no change in others. MAE may be a feasible and effective approach to improve body composition and QOL in overweight/obese premenopausal women. Our study underscores the need for further studies using larger samples to establish possible benefits of MAE in various populations.
authors.affiliation: Graduate Healthcare Engineering, Whitacre College of Engineering, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX.
authors.forename: Ming-Chien
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Chyu
authors.affiliation: Department of Family and Community Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Science, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX.
authors.forename: Jean-Michel
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Brismée
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX.
authors.forename: Raul Y
authors.initials: RY
authors.lastname: Dagda
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX.
authors.forename: Eugene
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Chaung
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX.
authors.forename: Vera
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Von Bergen
authors.affiliation: Clinical Research Institute, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX.
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Doctolero
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX.
authors.forename: Chwan-Li
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Shen
keywords: body composition; bone biomarker; exercise; obesity; quality of life; women