The Effectiveness of 3-Month Exercise Program on Body Composition in Overweight Adult Army Male Officers at Support Unit of Armed Forces Development Command, Bangkok, Thailand: A Quasi-Experimental Study

Obesity and overweight have become epidemics in global health and may increase the risk of many health problems. The 3- month exercise program was designed to reduce the body composition parameters namely body weight, body mass index, waist line, waist hip ratio, fat percent, fat mass and visceral fat in overweight adult army male officers at support unit at Armed Forces Development Command Bangkok, Thailand. A total number of 110 overweight adult army male officers at support units whose annual checkup report in 2018 was overweight without diseases met the inclusion criteria and voluntarily participated in this study. They were divided into 2 groups: intervention group (n=55), and control group (n=55) by purposive sampling techniques based on 2 separate locations in the same area. Socio-demographic and economic information was recorded and found that both groups were homogenous. All the parameters in both groups were measured and recorded by a trained research assistant using TANITA body composition analyzer DC-360 at baseline and after the 3-month intervention program. The Chi-square test, Fisher's exact, Independent t-test and Mann Whitney u test were used for comparison before and after a 3-month intervention program within group and between groups. The results showed that body weight, body mass index, waist line, waist hip ratio, fat percent, fat mass and visceral fat decreased significantly within the intervention group but almost all the parameters increased in the control group. However, there was only a significant difference in waist hip ratio (p<0.009) between 2 groups. In conclusion, the 3-month exercise program can reduce all the parameters in the intervention group.