Effects of the Curves® fitness & weight loss program VI: quality of life

287 sedentary women (48±10 yrs, 164±7 cm; 91±16 kg; 45±4% body fat) were assigned to an exercise & no diet group (E); an exercise & high calorie diet (HCD) group (2,600 kcals/d for 1 wk at 55% C, 15% P, 30% F; 9 wks at 40% C, 30% P, 30% F; 4 wks at 55% C, 15% P, 30% F); or, a low calorie high carbohydrate (HCHO), high protein (HP), or very high protein (VHP) diet. Diets consisted of 1,200 kcal/d for 1‐wk and 1,600 kcal/d for 9 wks and contained 30% fat, 40–55% CHO on the HCD and HCHO diets and 50–63% P on the HP and VHP diets. Subjects then ingested 2,600 kcal/d and dieted for 2‐d (1,200 kcal/d) only if they gained 3 lbs during a 4‐wk maintenance phase. Subjects participated in a supervised Curves fitness circuit training program 3 d/wk. The SF‐36 Quality of Life (QOL) inventory was administered at 0, 10, and 14 wks. Data were analyzed by repeated measures ANOVA and are presented as means ± SD changes from baseline after 10 and 14 wks, respectively. Results revealed that physical functioning (29.6±141, 24.4±122 %, p=0.002), social functioning (11.1±56, 11.1±69 %, p=0.005), vitality (25.5±88, 23.0±91 %, p=0.001), and mental health (8.5±27, 7.3±28 %, p=0.001) scores significantly increased over time in all groups. Bodily pain (32.2±296, 28.6±297 %, p=0.23), general health (3.0±163, −21.7±271 %, p=0.58), role physical (−4.1±56, −0.2±58 %, p=0.12), and role emotional scores (0.9±59, 3.0±60 %, p=0.79) were not significantly changed over time. No significant interactions were observed among groups with the exception that role physical scores decreased to a greater degree in the HP group. These findings indicate that the Curves fitness and weight loss program improves select markers of QOL.