Effect of 8-weeks of Combined Exercise Program on Fatty Liver Index in Obese Women

Objectives This study was conducted to investigate the effects of an 8-week combined exercise program on body composition, physical fitness levels and fatty liver index in obese women. Methods A total of 31 subjects participated in this experiment, divided into 17 obese women with a body fat percentage of 32% or more and a normal women group. The obese women received an 8-week combined exercise program. In this study examined changes in body composition, including weight, skeletal muscle mass, body fat percentage, and abdominal circumference. Additionally, physical fitness levels, such as strength, muscular endurance, cardiovascular endurance, flexibility, agility, and muscle power, were assessed to confirm the effects of combined exercise. Finally, Gamma-Glutamyl Transferase (GGT), triglyceride, and fatty liver index were assessed pre- and post-exercise program. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to compare changes in body composition, physical fitness levels, and fatty liver index within the exercise group pre- and post-exercise intervention. Results As a result of this study, statistically significant decreases in body weight and body fat percentage were observed in the obese exercise group following an 8-week exercise program. Regarding physical strength, the results showed that only muscular endurance increased at a statistically significant level in the obese exercise group. The fatty liver index, the main variable in this study, was confirmed to decrease at a statistically significant level in the exercise group. Conclusions As a result of this study, it was confirmed that an 8-week combined exercise program can improve the body composition, enhance physical fitness levels of obese women, and have a positive effect on the fatty liver index, a marker of fatty liver.