Sauna-induced body mass loss in young sedentary women and men

ScientificWorldJournal. 2014:2014:307421. doi: 10.1155/2014/307421. Epub 2014 Dec 31.

Abstract

The aim of the study was to evaluate the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and body mass loss (BML) induced by thermal stress in a dry sauna. The study was conducted on a group of 674 sedentary students, 326 women and 348 men aged 19-20. The correlations between BMI scores and BML were determined. The subjects were placed in supine position in a dry sauna for two sessions of 10 minutes each with a 5-minute break. The influence of BMI on the amount of BML in the sauna was determined by nonlinear stepwise regression. The smallest BML was noted in underweight subjects; students with normal weight lost more weight, whereas the greatest BML was reported in overweight and obese subjects. Persons with a high BMI are at higher risk of dehydration, and they should pay particular attention to replenishing fluids during a visit to the sauna. The proposed equations for calculating BML based on a person's BMI can be useful in estimating the amount of fluids that should be replenished by both men and women during a visit to a dry sauna.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Body Mass Index*
  • Body Weight
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Obesity / metabolism
  • Obesity / therapy*
  • Sedentary Behavior
  • Steam Bath*
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Weight Loss / physiology*
  • Young Adult