The effects of training in LIPOXmax zone on body composition in middle-age obese women

Aims: This study wants to assess the effects of training in the LIPOXmax zone on the anthropometric, impedancemetric and cardiorespiratory parameters in middle-age obese women. Method and material: Sixty-one obese women (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2) participated in the individualized training protocol in the LIPOXmax zone (40–50% of measured peak V⋅ O2) performed on Ergocycle. The protocol spanned three weeks three times a week. Each session lasts 60 mn. Weight, BMI and body composition were assessed before and after training. Cardiorespiratory capacities ([peak V⋅ O2], HRmax, Energy Expenditure [EE] and Mets), obtained following a maximum effort test (HRmax measured ≥ 90% predicted value), were evaluated before and after training. Results: The individualized training protocol in the LIPOXmax zone allowed changes in both weight, BMI, body composition and cardiorespiratory functions. Total weight and BMI decreased significantly (weight 92.97 ± 15.46 vs. 95.02 ± 15 kg, P = 0.001) (BMI 37.58 ± 5.86 vs. 38.66 ± 5.9 kg/m2, P = 0.002). There is an insignificant decrease in body fat (42.78 ± 10.38 vs. 43.98 ± 10.25 kg, P = 0.08) with a significant loss of visceral fat (from 11.77 ± 3.37 to 11.36 ± 3.35; P = 0.005) and a slight decrease in fat-free mass (from 51.56 ± 5.64 to 50.61 ± 6.2 kg; P = 0.003). There was a significant improvement in peak V⋅ O2 (16.11 ± 3.04 vs. 14.40 ± 4.46 mL/kg/mn, P = 0.001). This protocol can thus be proposed in order to initiate a weight loss in obese subjects.