Volume 2 Issue 2
Authors: Wayne Brewer; Sharon Olson; Toni Roddey; Howell Tapley
Abstract: Women from minority backgrounds have the highest prevalence rates of obesity and physical inactivity. A prospective cohort pilot study was conducted to investigate the effectiveness of a 12-week intervention that consisted of a group exercise program with educational reinforcement to enhance physical activity, physical fitness and physical self-worth. Twenty-three minority women completed the intervention. The participants were obese, had a neuromusculoskeletal impairment, chronic medical condition or disability that required outpatient physical therapy services. The results of this study revealed no significant reduction in body-weight but improvement was made for functional cardiovascular endurance (p < .005), lower and upper body strength (p < .006 and .042, respectively), physical self-worth (p < .0005) and moderate physical activity (p < .009). Despite the absence of weight-loss for these participants, the exercise and education intervention provided improvements in levels of physical fitness, physical self-worth and engagement in health enhancing physical activity.
Keywords: Weight-Loss; Neuromusculoskeletal Impairment; Minority Women; Group Exercise