Investigating the Effects of Eight Weeks of Aerobic Training Combined with Green Tea Supplementation on Body Weight and Body Mass Index in Overweight Women

Subject Areas : Biochemistry and Sport Nutrition

Mahnaz Beigi ¹ , Daniel Tarmast ^{2 *} , Tahereh Bagherpoor ³

1 - Ph.D. Student, Department of Exercise Physiology, Damghan Branch, Islamic Azad University, Damghan, Iran.
2 - Assistant Professor, Parand Branch, Faculty of Humanities, Islamic Azad University, Parand. Tehran, Iran.
3 - Assistant Professor, Department of Exercise Physiology, Damghan Branch, Islamic Azad University, Damghan, Semnan, Iran.

Received: 2024-12-15 Accepted : 2025-02-08 Published : 2025-03-15

Keywords: Aerobic exercise, Body mass index, Body weight, Green tea, Overweight women,

Abstract :

Green tea, a beverage with a significant history in traditional medicine, contains antioxidant compounds, particularly catechins. These compounds enhance fat metabolism, reduce inflammation, strengthen the immune system, and support weight management. Historically, green tea has been consumed for thousands of years. Especially when coupled with physical activity, the consistent consumption of green tea can be a safe and natural approach to enhancing overall health. This study aimed to examine the impact of eight weeks of aerobic exercise and green tea supplementation on the body weight and body mass index (BMI) of overweight women.

Four groups were randomly assigned to forty-eight overweight women (age: 58.2±4.54 y; height: 1.59±3.77 m; weight: 73.2±5.77 kg; BMI: 28.9±1.63 kg.m^-²) in this quasi-experimental study: aerobic training with green tea supplement, aerobic training with placebo, green tea supplement without training, and a control group. The training program was composed of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise, which was conducted three times per week for eight weeks. Daily, 500 mg of green tea extract was consumed by supplement group participants. BMI and body weight were assessed and analyzed during the pre-and post-intervention phases.

Compared to the other groups, the training plus supplement group exhibited a significant decrease in body weight (p<0.05). This group experienced the most substantial weight loss. The supplement-only group also encountered a substantial decrease in body weight in comparison to the control group (p<0.05). Despite a slight decrease in weight in the training-only group, the change was not statistically significant (p>0.05). Even though changes were observed in all intervention groups, particularly in the training plus supplement group, none reached statistical significance (p>0.05) concerning BMI.

The results of this study indicate that the combination of aerobic exercise and green tea supplementation may be a viable approach to weight loss in overweight women. This method may provide a safe and practicable health promotion and weight management solution.

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