ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Obesity is a growing health problem in Indonesia, with one of the main causes being physical inactivity. Meanwhile, employees are a group that is susceptible to obesity as they often have limited time while working sedentarily in front of a desk or computer, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. This causes risks of many cardiovascular diseases and obesity and can indirectly cause death. Tele-exercise, a live online video exercise, may be the solution to this problem. AIM: Therefore, the purpose of this study is to analyze the effects of tele-exercise on body weight, BMI, and fat mass percentage as indicators of obesity. METHODS: The research was conducted from July 2020 to January 2021 according to the policy regarding the pandemic. Furthermore, it used a pre-and post-quasi-experimental design. A total of 39 subjects were given tele-exercise involving two strength training and one cardio training per week for 3 months. RESULTS: Subsequently, the results showed that exercise had a significant effect (p < 0.05) on BMI and body weight, while fat mass percentage only decreased significantly (p < 0.05) from the second to third assessment. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study analyzing the effects of tele-exercise on obese employee’s body weight, body mass index, and fat mass. CONCLUSION: This proves that tele-exercise is an effective therapy for obesity that does not require a large space and has beneficial online aspects, especially during the pandemic. The timing of measurement and hydration status should be considered to assess the body composition.