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Whole-body vibration and weight loss: truth or consequence?

International Journal of Obesity volume 33, page 384 (2009)Cite this article

Maddalozzo et al.1 recently reported that 12 weeks of whole-body vibration (WBV) reduced body fat accumulation and serum leptin levels in rats. Taken at face value, these results are potentially important to the treatment of obesity. However, the extremely high peak acceleration magnitude of the WBV raises questions as to whether the weight loss was due to positive metabolic effects of WBV or extreme loading conditions leading to animal distress.

The WBV loading in this study is described as a 6 mm displacement at 30–50 Hz for 30 min a day. This description does not immediately seem unusual until you consider the peak acceleration magnitudes that are being achieved, if this description of the loading protocol is accurate. At 30 Hz, peak accelerations would be 10.8 G, whereas at 50 Hz they would be an imposing 30.2 G. To put this in perspective, a rigid object will experience ‘lift off’ (lose contact with the platform during vibration) at acceleration magnitudes of 1.0 G. One can only imagine what a rigid object would look like on a platform oscillating at 30.2 G.

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References

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  1. Orthopedic Biomechanics Laboratory, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA

    B A Christiansen

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  1. B A Christiansen
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Correspondence to B A Christiansen.

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Christiansen, B. Whole-body vibration and weight loss: truth or consequence?. Int J Obes 33, 384 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1038/ijo.2008.261

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