Effects of cognitive behavioral psychotherapy on body composition and constitution. Acta Universitatis Palackianae Olomucensis

Obesity is a chronic disease of modern times that is not just a cosmetic problem but a bio-social-psychological problem especially, which means that obese individuals have, apart from their medical problems, also social and psychological problems. They often suffer from depression, low self esteem and difficulties in the job market field. The aim of the study was to examine the effect of physical activity and the modification of nutrition patterns on the somatic parameters in STOB courses (the courses for weight loss and obesity reduction) in women at the age of 20–60 years (n = 114). The standardised anthropometrical methods were used to determine the basic somatic indexes – body weight and height, risk indexes and central obesity indexes, body composition according to Pařízková, and Matiegka and bioelec-tric impedance methods (QuadScan 4000; Tanita BC 418-MA). Women were divided into the groups according to age decennary. Women were measured at the beginning and at the end of the course, which lasted 12 weeks. STOB courses are led by professionals who are involved not only in physical activity but also in modification of nutrition and food intake patterns. In the groups as a whole, the BMI reached the average values of 31.34 in the initial exami-nation, although the maximal value exceeded the limit of morbid obesity, which is 47.56. On the basis of the BMI categorisation by WHO, only 7.5 % of women were in the “standard ” category and 57 % were obese, of which 5 % were morbidly obese. According to the evaluation of subcutaneous adipose tissue using Matiegka methodology, 57.5 % ha