The Effect of Kefir Consumption on Body Composition in Sedentary Individuals Doing Submaximal Exercise

This study aimed to examine the effect of kefir consumption on body composition in sedentary individuals who exercise at a submaximal level for 4 weeks. The study was an experimental study and 32 sedentary subjects voluntarily participated in the study. The groups were randomly selected as experimental and control groups. Both groups started to exercise at the same time and the exercise protocol continued at a submaximal level for 4 weeks. Measurements were taken twice as a pre-test and post-test in the 4-week exercise program. The exercise protocol was calculated with the Karvonen formula and applied to the participants every other day. The mean duration of exercise was 60- 90 minutes and planned as a warm-up, cardio exercises, and weight training. In addition to exercise, a high protein diet was applied to the control group, while an extra daily 500 ml of kefir was added to the experimental group. In the evaluation of the data; Descriptive statistics, independent group t-test, and dependent group t-test were used. Moreover, time-dependent percentage changes between groups were calculated using the formula “%Δ= (Post-Test-Pre-Test) /Pre-Test*100”. As a result of the analysis, no statistically significant difference was found in the weight, waist circumference, muscle ratio, fat ratio, and BMI pre-test mean scores of the experimental and control groups as a result of the independent group T-test (p>.05). In the dependent T-test results, a statistically significant difference was found in the experimental group as a result of the comparison of the pre-test and post-test mean scores in the same parameters, and a statistically significant difference was found in the control group (p<.05). However, when the intra-group BMI changes were examined, it was observed that the changes in the kefir group were higher.