Effect of 3-Month Water-Exercise Program on Body Composition in Elderly Women

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of a hydrogymnastics training program on Body fat and Fat-free mass in elderly women. The subjects were randomly divided in experimental groups that participated in the hydrogymnastics training program and control group that was not involved in the training and remained sedentary. They were assessed with anthropometric variables in accordance with ISAK protocol in order to determine Body fat (Kg), Fat-free mass (Kg), the training protocol consisted of hydrogymnastics sessions 5 times per week during 12 weeks of intervention, executed in a pool of 1.3 meters divided into three phases: a 10 minute warm-up, 30 minutes of aerobic exercise at 50­60% of maximum heart rate (monitored by heart rate monitor) and a 10 minute cool down. As a statistical method to compare the results between groups of variables pre and post training, the analysis of variance (ANOVA) mixed 2 X 2 (group X measurement) test was done using SPSS version 17. The findings showed no significant increase in measurements of muscle body composition component; no significant changes in fatty tissue of body composition were observed. These results were similar and congruent with studies carried out previously in elderly adults, where physical exercise programs, during which the subjects are active for less than 30 minutes, three times a week, lead to small or no changes in body mass and body composition. El objetivo de la presente investigacion fue evaluar el efecto de un programa de hidrogimnasia sobre la masa grasa y masa libre de grasa en 26 mujeres adultas mayores divididas en grupo experimental (n=16) y un grupo control (n=10). Las variables antropometricas fueron valoradas utilizando los lineamientos establecidos por ISAK para determinar la masa grasa y masa libre de grasa. Las sesiones de hidrogimnasia fueron 5 veces por semana por un periodo de 12 semanas, con ejercicios aerobicos del 50­60% de la FCmax monitoreada por pulsometro polar-FT7. Para los calculos se utilizo la prueba de ANOVA, no encontrando diferencias significativas en la masa grasa y masa libre de grasa del grupo experimental en relacion al grupo control. Estos resultados fueron similares y congruentes a estudios realizados en adultos mayores, con actividad fisica, donde los sujetos participaron al menos 30 minutos tres veces a la semana, no encontrando cambios en la composicion corporal.