Overweight and obesity, a cluster of multiple risk factors for atherosclerosis such as elevated blood pressure, elevated glucose level, and dyslipidemia, increase the risk of all-cause mortality and cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Physical activity and a proper diet are essential preventive measures. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of a two-month intervention program consisting of a low-caloric diet (1,500 kcal) and increased physical activity on the anthropometric parameters, body composition, resting metabolic rate, and maximum oxygen uptake. The study was conducted in 22 women aged 20-38 with diagnosed overweight or obesity. We found that after completing the eight-week-long intervention program, there were significant changes in body composition, consisting of a smaller proportion of body fat and increased lean body mass. Further, we observed a decrease in body weight by 4.3 ± 2.5 kg (p < 0.01), a reduction in waist and hip circumference of 2.6 ± 4.5 cm (p < 0.01) and 4.4 ± 2.9 cm (p < 0.01), respectively, and an increase in maximum oxygen uptake by about 5.2 ± 8.4 ml/kg/min (p < 0.01). We conclude that the intervention program consisting of counseling on diet and physical activity may be highly motivational for patients with excess body weight and care givers should give it a try before commencing more aggressive psychopharmacological therapies.
Keywords: Body composition; Diet; Dysmetabolism; Obesity; Overweight; Physical activity.