Evaluation of Short Term Weight Control Program for Female College Students

The purpose of this study was to evaluate weight control program provided by university health care center for female college students. The program was 8-week long and composed of diet, exercise, and behavioral modification. Evaluation was made on the completion of 8-week program and a follow-up survey was done at 3 - 24 months after the end of program by telephone or by e-mail. Total of 76 women completed the 8-week program and 51 for follow-up survey. On the completion of 8-week program, significant decreases in body weight, BMI, body fat (kg), % body fat, and WHR were resulted, however, no change in muscle mass was found. Even the subjects without weight change showed significant reduction in body fat (kg) and % body fat. Total food intake was decreased resulting in reduced intakes of most nutrients. Meal distribution of energy was changed; %energy from snack decreased from 22% to 14%, and proportion for breakfast increased. Blood values of hemoglobin, hematocrit, total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, and triglyceride were within normal range, and no changes were observed by this program. The follow-up survey revealed that 88.3% of the subjects continued to lose weight after completion of the program, while only 7.8% gained weight. And 78.4% of the subjects considered the program effective. In conclusion, the weight reducing regime with education is effective for long lasting weight control and health conscious behavior for female college student. Since the subjects reduced the size of meal, instead of cutting only calories down, food selection to meet all the nutrient requirements except energy should be emphasized.

The Effect of Water Exercise on Stress Relief in the Aged

BACKGROUND: Because up to 80% of all illness encountered in a primary care physician's office is due to psychological stress, stress management is important for the aged who are susceptible to stress. The positive effect of exercise therapy on psychological stress has been studied for a long time, but the research related to geriatric stress and exercise is still insufficient. Therefore, we investigated the effect of aquarobics, which is known to be suitable for the aged, on the stress reduction. METHODS: The data were collected from 11 women over 60 years old who visited the Public Health Center of Seodaemun-gu Office. The subjects participated in a 3 months' water exercise program 2 times a week for 60 minutes. Before and after exercise program, they were assessed according to Modified-Korean BEPSI scores. RESULTS: The subjects exercised 31 times on average (Maximum 40). Before exercise, mean BEPSI score was 1.6, which conformed to moderate risk group, but after 3 months exercise program they showed statistically significant stress reduction when compared to pre-exercise state (P=0.0313). CONCLUSION: We conclude that 3 months water exercise program reduced stress effectively in the aged over 60 years.