Comparative effects of 8-week exercise programs on fat reduction in female college students

Introduction: The number of overweight college students is increasing. Moderate aerobic exercise is commonly recommended to reduce obesity and improve body composition. Objective: To compare the effects of two 8-week exercise programs on body fat reduction in female college students. Methodology: Twenty-eight female students were randomly assigned to a resistance-plus-aerobic group (ST, n=14) or an aerobic-only group (AT, n=14). Both groups trained three times per week for 60 minutes at moderate intensity (heart rate 110–130 bpm). ST performed 30 minutes of resistance band training and 30 minutes of aerobic exercise; AT did 60 minutes of running. Results: Both groups significantly reduced body weight, fat mass, fat percentage, and WHR (p<0.001), with the ST group showing better results. Lean body mass, TC, and HDL did not change significantly (p>0.05). LDL slightly decreased (p=0.088), while TG increased (p<0.05). Leptin levels dropped significantly in both groups (p<0.05), with no difference between them. Conclusions: Both programs effectively reduced body fat and serum leptin. However, the ST program was more effective than the AT program in improving overall body composition, except for leptin reduction.