earticle

영어

This study aimed to determine the effects of resistance exercise and in-terval training on the visceral fat to skeletal muscle area, physical fit-ness, cognitive functions, and mental health in old women. The study was conducted among 30 older women enrolled in the National Fitness Center in Seoul. They were randomly sampled into the resistance exer-cise and interval training group (RI group: n=10, aged 64.10±3.35), the resistance and aerobic exercise group (RA group: n=10, aged 65.20± 5.10), and the control group (n=10, aged 63.20±2.62). Twelve weeks of exercise involving 30-min resistance exercise followed by 30-min inter-val training or aerobic exercise, 3 times a week, were performed by each group. A computed topography was used to the measure visceral fat area and the thigh skeletal muscle area. For physical fitness, maxi-mum oxygen uptake, knee isokinetics muscle functions, ankle range of motion, and functional fitness of the elderly (muscle strength, cardiore-spiratory endurance, flexibility, balance, and agility) were measured. For blood test, the metabolic syndrome risk factors, growth hormone, testosterone, and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) were measured. A self-administered questionnaire was used to measure cognitive func-tions and quality of sleep. The 12-week RA and RI groups were effective in changing the thigh skeletal muscle area, IGF-1, knee joint extension and flexion, ankle range of motion, functional fitness, and quality of sleep. In conclusion, resistance exercise, followed by interval training or aero-bic exercise, was effective in improving the skeletal muscle function in-dexes, physical fitness, and quality of sleep for the elderly. However, no difference was found between the two types of exercise.