Does whole body vibration therapy assist in reducing fat mass or treating obesity in healthy overweight and obese adults? A systematic review and meta-analyses

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 27^th 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.

IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATION

• 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.

Keywords:

• Adipose tissue
• exercise
• obesity
• overweight
• systematic review
• vibration

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.