EFFECTIVENESS OF FOUR WEEKS OF INTENSIVE HULA HOOPS TRAINING ON SPOT REDUCTION IN YOUNG WOMEN

Dr. Gajanana Prabhu B. and Ms. Vinodha G. T.

Abstract

Obesity is a significant health problem in all around the Globe irrespective of socio-economic background. Obesity is a medical condition in which excess body fat has accumulated to the extent that it may have a negative effect on health. Abdominal fat causes the increased fat cells accumulated in the abdominal area to secrete increased amounts of various hormones from fat cells into the bloodstream. Studies have found the use of medication together with behavior modification can minimize risk factors for the occurrence of metabolic disorder. Searching for ways to make physical fitness refreshing while providing enough physical demand to create a positive change in health is the goal of many exercise programs. Hula hooping is a fun and widely practiced form of exercise, the functional goal of which is to maintain a hoop in continuous oscillation parallel to the ground through coordinated body movements. They are a popular piece of fitness equipment used to attempt to slim the waistline and improve core muscle endurance. The purpose of the present study was to examine the effectiveness of four weeks intensive hula hoops training on spot reduction in young women. The study investigated the effects of hula hoops training on waist circumference, hip circumference and waist-hip ratio. The subjects for study were female (N=10) Post Graduate students Kuvempu University campus, Shankaraghatta selected through purposive random technique. Their age ranged 20 to 25 years. The inclusion criteria was Body Mass Index 25 and above. The waist-to-hip ratio is the dimensionless ratio of the circumference of the waist to that of the hips. One group pre-test, post-test design was used for the present investigation. Descriptive statistics like Mean and Standard Deviation were calculated for all the subjects. In order to test the hypothesis of the study, independent sample ‘t’  test was employed at .05 levels of significance.         The four weeks intensive hula hoops training are an effective way to reduce body fat in waist and hip region of young women.

Keywords: Obesity, Waist, Hip, Circumference, Fat, Body Mass Index and Hula Hoops.