Abstract
Purpose
This review describes the effects of Whole Body Vibration therapy (WBV) for reducing fat mass (%/kg) among healthy (no comorbid disease) overweight and obese adults.
Materials and Methods
Systematic literature search was conducted using Medline, Embase, Cochrane, CINAHL, and PubMed databases up to 27th March 2019. Studies evaluating the effects of WBV therapy on fat mass as a primary or secondary outcome among healthy (no comorbid disease), overweight or obese adults (Body Mass Index ≥25) were included.
Results
Following the search, 2,420 studies were reviewed and 1,603 studies were selected for title and abstract screening. Of 153 studies considered for full-text review, 13 controlled trials were included in the systematic review. Two meta-analyses were performed for five studies. The first random effects (I2 = 70%, p-value = 0.02) meta-analysis, revealed a statistically significant mean change for percent fat mass (−2.56, 95% CI: −3.81, −1.31). The second fixed effects meta-analysis, revealed a significant mean change (−1.91, 95% CI: −2.64, −1.18) for fat mass/kg.
Conclusion
This systematic review and meta-analyses indicate a positive effect of Whole Body Vibration therapy on reducing fat mass (%/kg), especially when combined with conventional weight loss interventions specifically, diet and exercise.
Whole Body Vibration therapy may assist obese and bariatric clients with weight loss.
Whole Body Vibration therapy with conventional weight loss strategies may augment reductions in fat mass among obese clients in rehabilitation setting.
IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATION
Acknowledgments
We would like to thank Elena Marin Cascales, for her great help in providing us with the information regarding BMI of the study population from their previous research.