Pulmonary functions and anthropometric parameters of young male and female adults participating in moderate aerobic exercise

Abstract

Respiratory disorders may be one of the adverse effects of sedentary lifestyle. This study investigated respiratory functions (FEV₁, FVC and PEFR) and anthropometric parameters (body weight and body mass index) of healthy young males and females participating in moderate aerobic exercise. Forty young healthy untrained non-athletes, twenty males and twenty females (age, 25 ± 5.6 years; body weight, 65 ± 4.0 kg; body height, 176.9 ± 2.5 cm) volunteered to participate in this study. The exercise regimen was of moderate intensity lasting for 20 min daily on a treadmill consistently at the speed of 13 km/h for 14 days. The weight and height of participants were measured using medical scale and wall-mounted stadiometer respectively. The forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV₁), forced vital capacity (FVC) and peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) were assessed using digital spirometer. The results showed a significant (p < 0.05) decrease in body weight and body mass index of female participants after 14 days of exercise regimen. The FEV₁, FVC and PEFR were significantly increased (p < 0.05) in both male and female subjects after exercise. The Pearson correlation showed a significant (p < 0.05) positive correlation between BMI with FEV_I/FVC% in female participants. There was an increase in calories burnt from day 4 of the study in both male and female participants. It is concluded that moderate aerobic exercise improved respiratory functions (FEV₁, FVC and PEFR) in both male and female subjects with greater improvement in females while reducing body weight and body mass index in females.