Section APPLIED ANTHROPOLOGY THE EFFECT OF COURSES IN WEIGHT REDUCTION TO THE SELECTED SOMATIC CHARACTERISTICS Sofkovб Tereza, Přidalovб Miroslava Department of Natural Sciences in Kinanthropology, Faculty of Physical Culture, Palackэ University Olomouc, Czech Republic Accelerated pace of life and consumerism leads to increase in obesity. <...> Key element in programs to reduce overweight and obesity is the regular physical activity (PA) by means of healthy lifestyle. <...> Appropriate PA that is accessible to everyone, regardless of age and gender, is walking, which can be simply assessed by pedometers. <...> The aim of our work was to analyse the effect of courses in weight reduction to the selected body composition (BC) parameters in the obese and overweight women with various age and the level of PA. 124 women with existing sedentary lifestyle, which were differentiated by age (< 40 years: and ≥ 40 years) participated in the study. <...> We divided the monitored sample into sub-groups according to the level of their PA. To determine the average daily number of footsteps during the PA the Yamax pedometer was used. <...> InBody 720 device using the Direct Multi-frequency Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis Method (DSM-BIA Method) was used to measure and analyse the BC. <...> Based on the monitoring of the PA and BC health risk indicators, the effect of the exercise program, which included cognitive behavioural therapy, showed decline in the body mass index (BMI) and body fat expressed in percentages (PBF) and in the decrease of the visceral fat area (VFA). <...> The amount of fat-free mass (FFM) remained the same. <...> Following the three months therapy we observed in women with a higher level of PA shift to the overweight group. <...> Therapy contributed to a reduction in PBF from 2.4% to 3.9% even though the women’s groups were still classifi ed as obese (> 35%). <...> Research studies have shown positive relationship between the increase in PA and changes in health risk indicators. <...> Observance of the recommended number of 10,000 footsteps per day primarily prevents the increase in body fat mass (BFM) and maintains FFM. <...> Key words: body composition health risk indicators, obesity, walking, healthy lifestyle, weight loss program Contact information: Sofkovб Tereza, e-mail: tereza.sofkova@email.cz, P <...>