The Effects of Massage Therapy in Conjunction with Exercise Training on Weight

Posted:Friday, August 5, 2016

Mark Blegen, PhD, FACSM
St. Catherine University, St. Paul, MN
$30,000

Obesity rates are at epidemic levels in the United States, and novel techniques are needed to combat the issue. Sometimes overweight individuals discontinue exercise programs and fail to reach their weight loss goals. The present study builds on previous research; suggesting weekly massage therapy sessions, as a reward, promote weight management. This research will investigate the intersection of massage therapy with structured and monitored exercise to promote weight management in an overweight population. Participants will be randomly assigned into one of four groups: weekly massage therapy only, weekly massage therapy and structured exercise, structured exercise only, and control. Measures such as bodyweight, body fat percentage, status of emotional eating, salivary cortisol (a physical measurement of stress levels), and psychological measures of stress, anxiety, and mood will be evaluated.