Effects of Aquatic and Land-Based Resistance Training on Body Composition and Functional Capacity in Older Women: An Experimental Study

This study investigated the effects of an 8-week aquatic and land-based resistance exercise program on body composition and functional fitness in older women. Forty-five women aged 65 and above were randomly assigned to aquatic exercise (AEG), land-based exercise (LEG), or control (CG) groups (n=15 each). After dropouts, 33 participants completed the study (AEG=9, LEG=14, CG=10). Intervention groups performed supervised 60-minute sessions, three times per week, for eight weeks. Functional fitness was assessed via the Senior Fitness Test battery, Berg Balance Scale, and Tinetti Gait and Balance Assessment; body composition was evaluated using body weight and BMI. Both exercise groups showed significant improvements in strength, flexibility, balance, agility, and aerobic capacity compared to the control group (p<0.05). The LEG also showed a significant decrease in body weight (p<0.05), but BMI changes were not statistically significant. No significant improvements were observed in the control group. In conclusion, both aquatic and land-based resistance training enhanced functional fitness in older women, with land-based training having a greater impact on weight reduction. Aquatic exercise may be more suitable for individuals with joint or balance limitations. These findings support the use of multicomponent exercise programs in promoting healthy aging.