Whole-body vibration may help combat obesity, diabetes

Indulging in a less strenuous form of exercise known as whole-body vibration could mimic the muscle and bone health benefits of regular exercise and help combat obesity and diabetes, according to a new study.

Whole-body vibration consists of a person sitting, standing or lying on a machine with a vibrating platform and could also benefit people who find it difficult to exercise.

The findings showed that when the machine vibrates, it transmits energy to the body, and muscles contract and relax multiple times during each second.

"The study shows that whole-body vibration may be just as effective as exercise at combatting some of the consequences of obesity and diabetes," said lead author Meghan E. McGee-Lawrence from Augusta University in Georgia, US.

Further, the method also increased bone formation, suggesting longer-term treatments could hold promise for preventing bone loss as well, Lawrence added.

For the study, published in the Endocrine Society's journal Endocrinology, the team examined two groups of five-week-old male mice who were assigned to sedentary, whole-body vibration or treadmill exercise conditions.

One group consisted of normal mice, while the other group was genetically unresponsive to the hormone leptin -- responsible for promoting feelings of fullness after eating.

The results suggest that whole-body vibration may be a useful supplemental therapy to combat metabolic dysfunction in individuals with morbid obesity.