The Effects of Walking on the Alter-G® Treadmill on Fat Oxidation in Overweight/Obese Males

<p><strong>Purpose:</strong> To determine if a reduction of body weight from 100% to 75% while walking on a lower body positive pressure treadmill (LBPP) affects peak oxygen consumption (V̇O_2peak), fat oxidation (FO), peak fat oxidation (PFO), respiratory exchange ratio (RER), heart rate (HR) and rate of perceived exertion (RPE) in overweight and or obese men. <strong>Methods: </strong>Fourteen, overweight and obese men (mean age 23.2 ± 2.4 years, BMI 36.5 ± 3.8 kg/m² and Body Fat % 38.6 ± 7.0%) were randomly assigned to walking on the LBPP treadmill at 100% and 75% of their body weight. The protocol consisted 3-minute stages at a constant speed of 3.3 mph for the duration of the test. Percent grade increased three minutes following the warm up from 3% to a maximum of 15%. FO, PFO, RER and V̇O₂ were measured using indirect calorimetry. Fat oxidation rates were calculated using stoichiometric equations. <strong>Results: </strong>Significant differences in V̇O_2peak,fat oxidation rates, HR and RER (<em>p </em>t-test, between the treadmill conditions (100% BW and 75% BW).<strong> </strong>V̇O_2peak and HR were higher at 100% BW compared to 75% BW (23 ± 4 vs. 17 ± 3 ml/kg/min, and 157 ± 23 vs. 141 ± 20, respectively). Additionally fat oxidation rates were lower at 100% BW compared to 75% BW (-0.19 g/min vs. 0.04 g/min). PFO occurred at 40% of V̇O_2peak (0.22 g/min at 9.21 ml/kg/min) in the 100% BW condition where PFO occurred at 47% to 62% of V̇O_2peak (0.23 g/min at 17.69 ml/kg/min and 0.23 g/min at 17.69 ml/kg/min respectively) in the 75% BW condition. RPE was significantly lower at 75% BW compared to the 100% body weight condition (12 vs. 14, respectively). FO rates in the decreased BW condition were observed at a low to moderate intensity (40 to 62% V̇O_2peak) which also stayed elevated longer compared to 100% BW. <strong>Conclusion: </strong>Reducing one’s body weight on the LBPP can be used as a low to moderate intensity exercise for obese individuals as a means to sustain physical activity, improve one’s exercise tolerance resulting in an improved quality of life.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

PhD Health Sciences

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Health and Medical Sciences

Year dc:date.available

2015

Author dc:creator

• LaSala, Toni

Contributors dc:contributor

• Genevieve Pinto Zipp, Ph.D.
• Vincent A. DeBari, Ph.D.
• Michael A. Figueroa, Ed.D.

• lower body positive pressure
• fat oxidation
• oxygen consumption
• obesity
• Sports Sciences

Repository record dc:identifier

https://scholarship.shu.edu/dissertations/2028

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:scholarship.shu.edu:dissertations-3055