Short exercise regimen helps overweight women

March 18, 2008 — Sedentary, overweight, or obese women can improve their quality of life by exercising as little as 10 minutes to 30 minutes a day, researchers reported at the American Heart Association’s Conference on Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Metabolism.

“While the women who participated in the highest exercise group saw the greatest improvements in most quality-of-life scales, the women in the lowest exercise group also saw improvements,” said Angela Thompson, MSPH, co-author of the study and research associate at Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge, La. “The public health message is tremendous, because it provides further support for the notion that even if someone cannot exercise an hour or more daily, getting out and exercising 10 to 30 minutes per day is beneficial, too.”

After exercising six months, the women improved 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.

 Source: PRNewswire, www.PRNewswire.com