Effectiveness of Retro Walking and Forward Walking Treadmill Training on Abdominal Adiposity in Untrained Young Adults-A Quasi-experimental Study

Introduction: Retro walking or backward walking is an exercise mode which incurs an increased metabolic cost and results in a greater cardiopulmonary demand when compared to forward walking, while placing a lower stress on the joints of the lower limb. Abdominal adiposity, a part of metabolic syndrome, is an early risk-factor for morbidity and mortality in adulthood. Aim: The study aims to compare the effect of retro walking treadmill training and that of forward walking treadmill training, as potential modifiers of general obesity and abdominal obesity in untrained young adults. Materials and Methods: In this quasi experimental study, 111 untrained young men/young males aged 18-25 who were students of a medical university in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia were recruited and allocated randomly into two groups. One group underwent retro walking treadmill training five times a week for six weeks, and the other group underwent forward walking treadmill training for the same period. Waist-Hip Ratio (WHR), Waist- Height Ratio (WHtR) and Body Mass Index (BMI) were measured before and after the six-week intervention and subjected to statistical analysis. Results: There was a significant reduction in WHR and WHtR in the participants of the retro walking program when compared to participants of forward walking program. The decrease in BMI was not statistically significant. Conclusion: A retro walking training program is more effective in reducing BMI, WHR and WHtR in untrained young adults as compared to a forward walking program.

Automated summary

The study compared the effects of retro walking treadmill training and forward walking treadmill training on general obesity and abdominal obesity in untrained young adults. Results showed that retro walking training was more effective in reducing waist-hip ratio and waist-height ratio compared to forward walking training, although the decrease in body mass index was not statistically significant.