Investigating effects of aerobic exercise and combined exercise programmes on body composition and resting metabolic rate

The purpose of this study was to investigate effects of 8 week aerobic exercise and combined exercise on body composition and resting metabolic rate. Twenty-two 18-25 year old, sedentary women whose body fat % were between 25 and 35 were volunteered for the study. The group was divided into 3 groups as control group (CG), aerobic exercise group (AEG) and combined exercise group (CEG) by random selection method. Initially, resting metabolic rate (RMR), body mass index (BMI), body fat % (BF), Fat free mass (FFM), waist girth (WG), hip girth (HG) and waist to hip ratio (WHR) of subjects were measured. Then AEG pariticipated in walking and running exercise. CEG participated in resistance exercise in addition to aerobic exercise. CG did not participate in any aerobic or combined exercise during 8 weeks. After 8 week period, all measurements in the beginning of the study were repeated. As a result of the assessment of findings, while there were significant increases in RMR values of CEG and AEG, RMR values of CG did not change significantly. Neither CG nor exercise groups had significant differences on BW, BMI, BF, FFM. WG and HG values of exercise groups decreased. WHR values of CEG decreased but AEG and CG had no significant differences on WHR. As a conclusion; There were significant increases in RMR and decreases in WG, HG, WHR values of CEG. There were significant increases in RMR values, decreases in WG, HG values and no significant differences on WHR values of AEG. No values of CG changed significantly. Key Words: Indirect Calorimeter, Combined Exercise, Resting Metabolic Rate, Body Composition