Even Minimal Exercise Can Improve Obese Women's Life Quality

Here is a reason to rejoice for those obese women who do not engage in frequent physical activity due to their excessive body fat. A new study by American researchers suggests that a brisk walk for as little as 20 to 30 minutes three times a week can significantly improve the quality of life for sedentary, overweight or obese women, making them more energetic, happier and calmer.

The research finds that older, obese women can improve their quality of life simply by exercising as little as 10 minutes a day. Minimal exercise has the ability to greatly improve the health of obese post-menopausal women, the findings suggest.

According to Timothy Church, director of preventive medicine research at Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, even with just 10 minutes of exercise each day, women can feel more energetic.

The study, presented Thursday at the American Heart Association's Conference on Nutrition, Physical Activity and Metabolism, looked at 430 obese, postmenopausal women with an average age of 57. They took part in the Dose Response to Exercise in postmenopausal Women (DREW) study, first reported in 2007.

The study participants were randomly assigned to four groups, who did either no exercise, about 73 minutes of physical activity a week, 135 minutes a week or about 193 minutes a week for six months.

All the women in the exercise groups were closely supervised with heart-rate monitors and step counters during their workouts.

After six months of exercise, Church and colleagues found that those who did the most exercise reaped the most benefits. But even those women who spent just 10 minutes a day showed improvements. The women in this group reported improvements in general, emotional and mental health, and said they could perform everyday tasks better, such as climbing stairs and carrying groceries.

Six months of exercise showed varied percentages of improvement in a number of areas, including almost 7 percent in physical function and general health, 16.6 percent in vitality, 11.5 percent in performing work or other activities, 11.6 percent in emotional health, and more than 5 percent in social functioning.

"We saw striking improvements in quality of life in the exercisers in almost all areas," Church said. Church stated “Physical activity not only provides a better quality of life, but better balance, stronger bones and confidence in walking. Start exercising for small amounts of time and then gradually work up to 150 minutes a week. A little is better than nothing.”

The study, which was funded by the National Institutes of Health, advices people, especially sedentary, overweight or obese women, to start exercise training and spend at least 10 minutes to 30 minutes per day to improve the quality of life.

According to American Obesity Association (AOA), obesity is a complex, multi-factorial chronic disease involving environmental (social and cultural), genetic, physiologic, metabolic, behavioral and psychological components. It is the second leading cause of preventable death in the U.S.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 66 million people in the country are obese.