The Study
Effect Of Badminton Sport in Improving Heart Rate Variability and Body Composition of Overweight and Obese Amateur Badminton Players – A Randomized Control Trial
This study compared two exercise programs and found one with badminton worked a bit better for heart health and losing fat. But since both groups did other exercises too, we can't say badminton alone was the magic ingredient — just that doing badminton plus weights helped.
Analysis score
Maximum 90 for a randomized controlled trial.
Where the score came from
This study tested if playing badminton with some weight training is better than just walking or cycling with weight training for people who are overweight.
Where does this study sit?
Reviews of RCTs (Meta-analyses)
Max 100Randomized Trials
Max 90Reviews of Cohort Studies
Max 85Cohort Studies
Max 72Reviews of Case-Control Studies
Max 63Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional & Case Series
Max 50Expert Opinion
Max 548 / 100
Quality score
Participants are randomly assigned to treatment or control groups, minimizing bias. The gold standard for testing whether an intervention causes an effect.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1Yes — these changes mean better heart health and more fat loss than the other group, which is meaningful for someone trying to improve their fitness and reduce obesity risks.
- 2After 12 weeks, people who played badminton + weights lost about 4.5% body fat, their waist got 0.06 smaller, their BMI dropped by 1.8, and their heart rate variability (a sign of a healthier heart) went up by 16.7 points for RMSSD and 11.2 for SDNN.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
International Journal of Racket Sports Science
Year
2025
Authors
Dobson Dominic, S. Sambandam, Harshavardhini Anburaj
Related Content
Claims (6)
In adults with overweight or obesity, a 12-week exercise program that combines badminton and strength training reduces body fat by about 4.5% and waist-hip ratio by 0.06 more than aerobic training or strength training alone.
In adults with overweight or obesity, a structured exercise program that includes badminton and strength training increases measures of autonomic nervous system regulation linked to heart health.
In adults with overweight or obesity, a 12-week exercise program combining badminton and strength training increases heart rate variability by 16.7 units in RMSSD and 11.2 units in SDNN, more than programs using aerobic exercise and strength training separately.
In adults with overweight or obesity, a 12-week exercise program that combines badminton and strength training lowers body mass index by about 1.8 kg/m² more than a program using aerobic exercise and strength training without badminton.
In overweight and obese adults with a BMI of 23–30 kg/m², a 12-week program of moderate-intensity badminton combined with resistance training three times per week for 60–90 minutes per session leads to greater improvements in heart rate variability and greater reductions in body fat percentage, waist-hip ratio, and BMI than a program of aerobic exercise and resistance training alone.
People with lower body fat tend to have a slower resting heart rate and greater heart rate variability.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.