The effect of 8 week pilates exercise on body composition in obese women.

The objective of this study was to explore the effects of 8-weeks modern pilates mat and ball exercise program on body mass, waist circumference and waist to hip ratio on sedentary obese women total of 58 health sedentary obese women volunteered to participate in this study. They were divided randomly into 1 of 2 groups: pilates training group (PTG; N = 34) and control group (CG; N = 27). A pilates training program was applied to the subjects one hour per day four days per week during 8 weeks. The subjects in the control group did not participate in the training and participated only in the pre and post test measurements. BMI, waist circumference, Waist-hip ratio, 4-site skinfold thickness (Biceps, Triceps, Supscapula and Iliac), fat percentage, resting metabolic rate, Lean body mass and flexibility were assessed before and after the pilates training program. The SPSS statistical program (version 16.0) was used for data analysis. Analyses of covariance (ANCOVAs) were run on each of the dependent variables. For all analyses, the criterion for significance was set at an alpha level of p < 0.05. 8 weeks of pilates training program has been found to be effective on weight, Body mass index, Lean body mass, waist-hip ratio, biceps, triceps, fat percentage, basal metabolic rate, and flexibility in PTG (p < 0.05). The control group showed no significant differences in the same measures post-intervention. As a result there was a positive effect of Modern Pilates mat and ball exercises of reducing obesity, body composition parameters and flexibility at sedentary obese women.