title: Effect of exercise programs with aerobic exercise sessions of similar intensity but different frequency and duration on health-related measures in overweight women.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study investigated health-related effects of exercise programs with exercise sessions of similar intensity but different frequency and duration.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-four overweight women were randomized into either long-bout (LB) or short-bout (SB) exercise groups. Participants performed an 8-week supervised program, with the LB group exercising for 75 minutes twice per week, and the SB group for 30 minutes on 5 days of the week.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The LB group completed 16 sessions at a heart rate (HR) of 127 ± 1 beat·min-1 and the SB group completed 40 sessions at a HR of 126 ± 1 beat·min-1. Weekly energy expenditure of exercise was not different between groups (LB group, 5.64 ± 0.34 MJ; SB group, 5.83 ± 0.23 MJ). Training significantly (P < .05) increased measures of cardiorespiratory fitness, decreased waist circumference, insulin resistance, and diastolic blood pressure. The group × time interaction was not significant for any of these factors, indicating that responses to exercise training did not differ between the SB and LB groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Health-related outcomes of exercise programs with similar energy expenditure are independent of frequency and duration of exercise sessions. This provides individuals with a degree of flexibility in exercise program planning.
authors.affiliation: College of Medical, Veterinary & Life Science, Glasgow University, Glasgow, Scotland.
authors.forename: Eirini
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Manthou
authors.forename: Jason M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Gill
authors.forename: Dalia
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Malkova
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001794:Blood Pressure; D004734:Energy Metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010809:Physical Fitness / Q000502:physiology*; D011897:Random Allocation; D055105:Waist Circumference