ABSTRACT
Improvement of abdominal obesity indices in middle-aged obese women by of exercise training has significant importance. The aim of the study was to assess the effects of rhythmic endurance training on abdominal obesity indices [waist to hip ratio, waist circumference, waist to high ratio, body fat%] in working women. This study was a randomized controlled clinical trial conducted on, middle-aged women, aged >35 years, with abdominal obesity, regular menstrual cycle, without regular exercising, registered nurses and midwives, medicine, rehabilitation, para clinic, health sciences university and all administrative departments of the Iran university of Medical Sciences. Volunteer participants [n=31] were randomly separated into cases [n=17] and controls [n=14]. The case group has rhythmic endurance training for 8 weeks. At the beginning and the end of the study, in addition to completion of questionnaires, anthropometrical data, VO2 Max determined by tape, calipers and a chronometer. The results obtained showed that endurance training had no significant effect on waist-to-hip ratio in the cases, but significant positive changes on waist circumference, waist-to-high ratio and body fat percentage were seen. Decrease in waist to hip ratio was not significant after endurance training, probably due to short duration of exercise [8 weeks] and also may be related to lack of diet control