Effectiveness of Aerobic Exercise Intervention and Nutrition Counselling on Disease Risk Factors among Adolescents
Keywords:
Aerobic Exercise, Nutrition Counseling, Body Weight, Blood Pressure, Cholesterol LevelAbstract
This study investigates the comparative effectiveness of aerobic exercise intervention and nutrition counseling on disease risk factors among adolescents through a rigorous experimental design. A total of 60 inter-college students aged 18-21 years were randomly assigned to aerobic exercise, nutrition counseling, or a control group. Over a 12-week intervention period, the aerobic exercise group engaged in progressively intensified supervised sessions three times a week, while the nutrition counseling group received weekly one-hour sessions covering balanced nutrition, portion control, and healthy food choices. Disease risk factors were assessed using measures of body weight, blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and blood sugar levels, along with a structured questionnaire capturing demographic information, medical history, physical activity, and dietary habits. Both interventions demonstrated positive effects on reducing blood pressure and improving triglyceride and total cholesterol levels. The control group also exhibited significant improvements, highlighting the potential effectiveness of the intervention. Notably, interventions were successful in reducing blood sugar levels, with the control group experiencing significant improvements as well. However, no significant differences were found between groups regarding physical activities and dietary habits concerning the assessed health parameters. The study recommends individualized aerobic exercise programs considering varying fitness levels, enhanced nutritional counseling with personalized plans, long-term monitoring of health improvements, addressing negative changes in HDL cholesterol levels, and a continuous evaluation system for health programs. Future suggestions include conducting longitudinal studies, in-depth analyses of dietary habits, personalized aerobic exercise programs, and fostering multidisciplinary collaboration for a comprehensive understanding of factors influencing disease risk factors among adolescents.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Muhammad Shimran Khan, Tehreem Gul, Syed Ikram Ullah Shah
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