Effects of a 12-Week Multidisciplinary Program on Health-Related Physical Fitness and Depressive Symptoms in Overweight and Obese Women Aged Between 45 and 64 Years with Noncommunicable Chronic Diseases.

UNLABELLED: We evaluated the effects of a 12-week multidisciplinary program on health-related physical fitness and depressive symptoms in overweight and obese women (aged 45-64 years) diagnosed with noncommunicable diseases (NCDs).

METHODS

A longitudinal, pre-experimental, proof-of-concept study was conducted. Thirty-one women completed multidisciplinary interventions [nutritional education or psychoeducation (each once a week), and resistance training (twice a week)]. Body composition (bioelectrical impedance), physical fitness (maximal isometric strength, lower limb strength-endurance, flexibility, and aerobic fitness), and depressive symptoms (PHQ-9) were measured at baseline and post-intervention.

RESULTS

Significant improvements in body composition were observed in terms of lean mass (Δ% = 3.7; p < 0.001), fat-free mass (Δ% = 3.6; p < 0.001), skeletal muscle mass (Δ% = 5.2; p < 0.001), fat mass (Δ% = -3.5; p < 0.001), body fat percentage (Δ% = -4.7; p < 0.001), and visceral fat level (Δ% = -2.9; p = 0.012). Physical fitness exhibited a large effect size in the chair stand test (d = 0.91) and the 6 min walk test (d = 1.22). Depressive symptom scores substantially decreased (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

The program demonstrated potential efficacy in mitigating sarcopenic obesity, enhancing functional capacity, and reducing depressive symptoms, indicating potential clinical viability for the integrated management of multimorbidity.