Obese Should Exercise Not 'Diet'
December 6, 2006
Women who are clinically obese don't need to diet
to improve their health, say UK researchers.
A programme which encouraged women not to diet but
to take part in exercise classes found significant improvements
in health and mental well-being.
The women in the study were also taught about good eating habits, such as how to cook, and received social support.
After a year, the women had only lost a little weight but were significantly fitter and happier with themselves.
The team from Leeds Metropolitan University and the University of Hull who are presenting the results at the UK Society of Behavioural Medicine Scientific Meeting in Cambridge said a healthy lifestyle could improve health risks regardless of weight.
The 62 women aged 24 to 55 years who took part in the
study all had a Body
Mass Index (BMI) over 30, which is classed as clinically
obese.
They were required to do four hours a week of exercise, such as tai chi, aqua aerobics or circuit classes.
The programme also included educational sessions to
teach how to read food labels and cook food,
and behavioural therapy to help the women respond to
body cues such as hunger and feeling full.
One exercise used by the dietician encouraged participants to eat a chocolate bar in small portions over the course of a week.
But the women were encouraged not to diet and eat whatever they wanted in moderation.
Women who took part in the scheme lost a small amount of weight from a average 17st (108.4kg) to an average 16st 7lbs (104.6kg) after the first three months whereas women in the control group put on an average of 7lbs (3kg).
Source from: http://news.bbc.co.uk
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