4. Discussion
While analyzing the study’s results, it was possible to verify
a significant decrease in abdominal fat in the IG compared
with the CG, confirmed by ultrasound at the left ASIS level
and by the perimeter above the iliac crest measurement. It
is important to emphasize that one of the variables with significant
statistical differences was measured by ultrasound,
a valid method for abdominal fat measurement compared to
computerized tomography.24,25
With a larger sample, a higher number of significant statistical
results could probably have been observed. However,
this was not possible once one set of restricted inclusion and
exclusion criteria was adopted (so that no external influences
could interfere with lipid metabolism). Hence, the intervention
effect size calculation allowed verification of a moderate
intervention effect size on the vertical abdominal skinfold,
and a large intervention effect size was found for subcutaneous
fat below the navel. These results reinforce the notion
that the plaster body wrap has a positive action on reducing
abdominal fat.
When comparing skinfold measurements at the initial
and final moments, both groups showed statistically significant
decreases on total fat percentage and on one of the
skinfolds. Furthermore, perimeter measurements showed, for
both groups, significant statistical results in three of the four
variables. However,the similarity between the two groups’ differences
may be explained by the fact that exercise is indeed