Energy expenditure and weight loss with aerobic exercise: A longitudinal study in young adults

The objective of this study was to analyse the amount of time young adults spent performing vigorous, moderate intensity activities, walking and sitting through the International Physical Activity Questionnaire - Short Form (IPAQ-SF), as well as the loss of weight and fat mass before and after an aerobic training program. The sample consisted of 20 men aged 21.86 ± 1.85 years who initially had a body mass index (BMI) > 25 kg/m2. The training program was carried out for twelve weeks, three times per week on non-consecutive days, in sessions lasting 60 to 90 minutes. Before and after the treatment, an anthropometric assessment of weight, height and fat mass was performed using a dual-energy x-ray densitometry equipment and the participants were also asked to complete the IPAQ-SF questionnaire. The results showed a statistically significant improvement in both weight (88.29 vs 86.52) kg, BMI (29.22 vs 28.64) kg/m2 and body fat (26.43 vs 25.21) kg. Similarly, energy expenditure (METS min/week) improved in all measurements: in vigorous (980.87 vs 4038.26) and moderate physical activity (450.44 vs 1615.65), walking (949.25 vs 1336.50) and total (2380.56 vs 6690.42), although no significant differences in energy consumed walking were found. The main conclusion reached after this research is that in young adults who are overweight or obese, an exclusively aerobic exercise program, enabled them to reduce their body weight by approximately the same amount of fat mass lost and that their adherence to physical exercise increased as their moderate and vigorous levels increased nearly fourfold, and their total physical activity was more than double that at the beginning of the program.