The Effects of Supervised Step Aerobics Training Combined with Daily Milk Consumption on Muscle Power and Cardiovascular Fitness in Inactive Girls: A Randomised Controlled Trial

Background: Physical activity and nutrition are essential for the prevention and treatment of many diseases. This study examined the effects of combining daily milk supplementation and an aerobic exercise routine on physical fitness indicators in adolescent girls. Methods: The study randomly assigned 83 17-year-old girls into four groups: milk only, exercise only, both milk and exercise, and control groups. The interventions involved drinking 500 mL of low-fat milk daily and engaging in a 1-h step aerobics exercise routine 3 times/week for 12 weeks. VO2max, countermovement jump height and average power, and squat jump height were measured before and after the intervention. Results: Participants in the combined and exercise only groups had significant improvements in the measured parameters after the intervention compared with participants in the control and milk only groups. No difference in any of the parameters was found between the combined and exercise only groups. Conclusion: The 12-week step aerobics exercise program had positive effects on muscle power and cardiovascular fitness of adolescent girls, while milk did not provide any additional improvements.