The Effect of Concurrent Training Program on Body Composition Indices in Overweight and Obese Female Students

Background: Obesity and overweight in childhood and adolescence is one of the challenges of the 21st century. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of eight weeks of concurrent training program on body composition indices (fat%, fat mass, free fat mass, weight, and BMI) in overweight and obese female students. Methods: Thirty obese or overweight students of the city of Khoy in the northwest of Iran (age: 14.0 ± 69.0 yrs, weight: 35.8 ± 88.6 kg, and height: 161.0 ± 62.4 cm) voluntarily participated in the study and randomly assigned into the training (n=15) and the control groups (n=15). After an initial test, training group conducted eight weeks of exercise, including three days per week of training protocol that consisted of a series of the aerobic and strength exercises based on the progressing rate of perceived exertion (RPE). Results: According to the data, there were significant within and between groups differences in body composition after 8 weeks of exercise (fat%, fat mass, weight, and BMI) (P<0.05), but no significant within and between group differences in free fat mass (P>0.05). Conclusions: The findings of this study suggest that the eight weeks of concurrent training program has beneficial effects on some body composition indices in obese and overweight female students.