SEASONAL VARIATION MAY HAVE AN EFFECT ON BODY COMPOSITION ALTERATIONS INDUCED BY EXERCISE TRAINING

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine whether body composition alterations induced by aerobic exercise training show seasonal varition. Ninety-five middle-aged Japanese obese women volunteered as subjects. All subjects participated in our “exercise+diet” program for 3 months. The subjects were categorized into two groups (Summer group : S, and Winter group : W) based on the season when they participated in the program. Body composition, cardiorespiratory variables and dietary habituation were evaluated before and after the programs. More desirable changes in body composition were observed in Group W than in Group S. Group W showed a significant decrease in body mass from 62.2±8.7 kg to 60.3±8.6 kg, and in percentage body fat from 34.0±7.0% to 30.5±6.0%, while fat-free mass increased significantly from 41.0±3.9 kg 41.9±3.6 kg. However, alterations in cardiorespiratory variables were not associated with body composition alterations. It is concluded that season may have an effect on body composition alterations, but has no effect on cardiorespiratory variables, and that body composition may be improved by an exercise+diet program more effectively in winter than in summer.