Purpose : The purpose of this study is to verify the effectiveness of combined marine healing programs by analyzing the physical composition of metabolic patients, blood lipids and the effects of the inflammatory factors, the C -reactive protein(CRP).
Methods : the combined marine treatment program was conducted for 6 hours a day, 5 days a week on the 10 adult patients with metabolic diseases and the results of their body composition, blood lipids and CRP were analyzed before and after the subjects completed the program. For the statistical analysis, the mean and standard deviation (M±SD) of each variable were calculated using SPSS version 20 and a paired t-test was conducted in order to test for the differences before and after the combined marine treatment program. All significant levels were set to α=.05. As a result of the experiment
Results : First, regarding the changes in body composition and blood pressure after the 5-day combined marine treatment program was completed, there were statistically significant differences found in weight (p<.01) and systolic blood pressure (p<.05). Second, regarding the changes in blood lipids and CRP after the program was conducted, there were statistically significant differences found in total cholesterol (p<.05) while there was no statistically significant difference found in the variables of neutral fat, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and CRP.
Conclusion : the study results were integrated, the 5-day combined marine treatment program had a positive effect on weight, blood pressure and total cholesterol in the patients with metabolic diseases. Therefore, the short-term marine treatment program was thought to be effective for them. However, considering no significant differences were found in neutral fat, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and CRP, further development and research on combined marine treatment programs should be conducted in the long term to create an effective program for patients with metabolic diseases.