Effects of Different Frequency Low-volume Resistance Training on Body Fat in Obese Older: A Randomized Controlled Trial

The aim of this study was to compare the effect of resistance training with different frequencies on total, android, gynoid and trunk body fat in obese older women. Recruitment was carried out through newspaper and radio advertisements, and home delivery flyers in residential neighborhoods. All participants completed health history and physical activity questionnaires, and met the following inclusion criteria: 60 years of age or older, relative body fat ≥ 32 assessed by whole body dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), physically independent, free from cardiac or orthopedic dysfunction that would have precluded them from performing the tests or the training program associated with the study, not receiving hormonal replacement therapy, and not performing physical exercise more than once a week in the six months preceding the beginning of the investigation.Written informed consent was obtained from all participants after a detailed description of study procedures was provided. This study was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki and approved by the local Ethics Research Committee, and was carried out over a period of 16 weeks, with 12 weeks dedicated to the resistance training program, and 4 weeks directed to testing. Anthropometric, body composition, and dietary intake measurements were performed during weeks 1-2, and 15-16. A supervised progressive resistance training was performed between weeks 3-14. The control group did not perform any type of organized physical exercise during the study period. Supervised resistance training was performed during the 12 weeks of training. All participants were individually supervised by physical education professionals throughout each training session to ensure that the study's training protocol was followed and to ensure subject safety. The group 2X performed the program twice a week (Tuesdays and Thursdays), while group 3X performed three sessions a week (Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays). The progression of training loads in each exercise occurred, when a participant completed 15 repetitions in two consecutive sessions, with increases of 2-5% in exercises for the upper limbs, and 5-10% in exercises for the lower limbs. At the end of each session, one static stretching exercise at the point of discomfort for 15 seconds was performed for all major muscle groups for a total of exercises. Participants were asked not to perform any other type of organized physical exercise during the entire study period.