Inclusion Criteria:  Obesity (BMI ≥ 30) or Central obesity (defined according to the International Diabetes Federation).  Exclusion Criteria:  Unstable angina recent cardiac infarction (last 4 weeks) uncompensated heart failure severe valvular illness pulmonary disease uncontrolled hypertension kidney failure orthopaedic/neurological limitations cardiomyopathy planned operations during the research period participation in a parallel study