COMPARATIVE EFFECT OF MODERATE INTENSITY-INTERVAL AND CONTINUOUS TRAINING ON BODY MASS INDEX (BMI) AND VISCERAL FAT OF OVERWEIGHT ADULTS IN BAYELSA STATE

Abstract

Physical inactivity has been identified as one of the major global health issues. It has been linked to increased health risks like Coronary heart disease, type 2 diabetes, breast and colon cancers overweight and obesity. This study was conducted to compare the effect of moderate intensity interval and continuous training on Body Mass Index (BMI) and Visceral Fat of overweight adults in Bayelsa State. The study was guided by two objectives, two research questions and two hypotheses. The study adopted the randomized pretest-posttest control group design, where the control and experimental groups were administered a pretest and treatment given only to the experimental groups thereafter, a posttest was administered to the three groups. One hundred and twenty volunteers were randomly assigned to experimental groups one and two and the control group using the fishbowl method. The instruments for data collection were a Stadiometer (SECA 217) and an Omron Karda Scan Body Composition Monitor (HBF-511). The instruments used for the study are standardized. The reliability coefficients were; Body Mass Index (r = .69) and Visceral Fat (r = .64 male and r = .80 female). All statistical analysis was done using IBM Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) for Windows (Version. 21). Data were analyzed using Descriptive Statistics of Mean and Standard Deviation to answer the research questions and ANCOVA to test hypotheses at 0.05 alpha level. The findings of the study showed an eta value (.833) indicating a large effect on BMI and the findings of the study also revealed, an eta value (.872) indicating a large effect on the visceral fat level of the study participants. The null hypotheses which stated that there is no significant difference in the effect of moderate intensity interval and continuous training on BMI and Visceral Fat of overweight adults in Bayelsa State were thus rejected with a P-value less than the selected level of significance (0.05). The study concluded that moderate-intensity intervals and continuous training regimens improved the BMI and Visceral Fat of overweight adults in Bayelsa State. The study recommended that adults should be sensitized to various benefits of engaging in moderate-intensity interval and continuous training regimens as they relate to the general health and well-being of individuals at large.