Effects of strength training and aerobic exercise

Effects of strength training and aerobic exercise in a worksite setting on

Pre-retirement age group adult

Mageswari Rajoo

PhD Research Student, School of Social Sciences,  St.Elizbeth University, Bratislava, Solvakia EU

Abstract 
Objectives: To study the effectiveness of half an hour strength training and aerobic exercise on weight management of a pre-retirement age group adult (45-55 years old) in a worksite setting.

Methods: Twenty (n=20) ages from (45 – 55) were randomly assigned to half an hour aerobic exercise of walking on a treadmill and some simple strength training.  Exercise session took place 3-5 times per week and not done on off days and public holidays. All participants were allocated a time schedule to exercise at work. Height and weight were measured to compute BMI. Waist size measurements were also recorded. The prevalence of overweight, pre-obesity and obesity were 15.0% 14.0% and 70.0% respectively.

Each participant was made to familiarize with the available treadmill machines in the gym at the workplace. The speed and gradient is automatically set and varied by the machine panel based on the participants set target heart rate. A 1 minute of warm up and 1 minute of cool down is deployed. Subjects were also briefed on diet and healthy lifestyle over the experimental period but no particular diet program was adopted. Charts were systematically reviewed to assess outcome measures and side effects. Assessments included weekly weights measurement, some strength exercise recording and discussion on side effects.

Results:  Relative to the 30 minutes exercise per day for 3-5 working days, 65% of participants lost about 2-3kgs in the first five weeks. At baseline, the subjects' average weight was 90kg, 72% were having obesity-related problems. Weight losses averaged 1 kg in 4 weeks. , 80% of participants showed decrease in the waist size and 85% of the participants shown increase in strength (sit-ups and leg press).

Conclusions: This study suggests that weight loss program is improving but still needs intensive efforts to enable most individuals to maintain a substantial percentage of their weight loss in long-term. In terms of strength, significant levels of improvement have been achieved from this program. Interventions to reduce overweight and obesity in worksite populations should emphasize on teaching employees practical strategies for calorie counting, food portioning and dietary fat reduction to set an attainable weight management goal.

 Keywords: aerobic exercise; weights training; treadmill machines; obesity