Author(s): SALHI, A., OUERGHI, N. ZOUHAL, H. HAMMAMI, A. DOUA, N. ZEGHAILICHE, Y. ABDERRAHMAN, A., Institution: HIGHER INSTITUTE OF SPORT AND PHYSICAL EDUCATION, KSAR-SAID, UNIVERSITY OF MANOU, Country: TUNISIA, Abstract-ID: 2412

INTRODUCTION:
Whole-body electromyostimulation (WB-EMS) has the potential to reduce obesity related health complications. While WB-EMS has primarily been studied on physical parameters such as body composition, muscle strength, metabolic function, and cardiovascular fitness, its impact on psychological and cognitive aspects in obese individuals remains poorly described. We investigated the effects of a 12-week WB-EMS training program on mood, body image, self-esteem, attention, and stress responses in obese young females.
METHODS:
Twenty-eight obese females were randomly assigned to two groups; WB-EMS group (n=15; age, 18.6±0.98 years; height, 1.62±0.06m; body mass, 81.99±10.57 kg) and control group (n=13; age, 18.8±0.83 years; height, 1.61±0.07 m; body mass, 82.1±6.75 kg). A WB-EMS training program was performed twice weekly over a period of 12 weeks (24 sessions overall), with each session lasting 20 min and applying a bipolar, rectangular current (85 Hz; 350 μs; intermittent; 6 s impulse phase, 4 s rest). Participants were evaluated both before and after the intervention for body composition indices, mood, body image, self-esteem, attention performance, and cortisol concentrations. Two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) with repeated measures (two groups: WB-EMS group vs. control group × 2 times: before- vs. after-intervention program) and t-tests for independent samples (between-group comparison of variable) were used to analyze the data.
RESULTS:
The WB-EMS group had improvements in mood L: anger (p=0.037), confusion (p=0.034), depression (p=0.034), fatigue (p=0.002), tension (p=0.014), vigor (p=0.01), cognitive performance (p=0.037), and body image and self-esteem (p=0.002 and p=0.009, respectively). Furthermore, cortisol levels were reduced in the WB-EMS group (p<0.001). There were no changes for these variables in the control group.
CONCLUSION:
Improvements in psychological parameters (self-esteem, body image, mood, and cognitive function) following WB-EMS highlight the holistic impact of this training method beyond its effects on physical performance.