Core-Based Movement and Nutritional Counselling for Stress and Metabolic Outcomes in Overweight Women With Functional Constipation

This study will investigate the effect of core-based movement and nutritional counselling on stress, serum cortisol, and lipid profile in overweight women with functional constipation. Sixty overweight women with functional constipation will be randomly assigned into two equal groups. The study group will include 30 participants who will receive a core-based movement exercise program for 8 weeks, two sessions per week, in addition to guideline-based nutritional counselling. The control group will include 30 participants who will receive guideline-based nutritional counselling only for 8 weeks. The outcomes will include perceived stress, serum cortisol level, lipid profile, stool form, sleep quality, and quality of life.

Inclusion Criteria: * Female participants diagnosed with functional constipation according to Rome IV diagnostic criteria. * Age between 18 and 45 years. * Body mass index between 25 and 29.9 kg/m². * Ability to participate safely in the core-based movement exercise program. * Willingness to follow the nutritional counselling program and study procedures. Exclusion Criteria: * Participants will be excluded if they have any organic gastrointestinal disorder or any disease that may affect gastrointestinal transit or colonic function. * Participants with inflammatory bowel disease, concurrent infectious enteritis, malignant tumors, or a history of gastrointestinal surgery, including resection of the stomach, small intestine, or large intestine, will be excluded. * Participants receiving steroids, antibiotics, immunosuppressive medications, or routinely using laxatives will be excluded. * Participants with hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism, or other endocrine or metabolic disorders that may affect gastrointestinal function will be excluded. * Participants with serious cardiovascular, respiratory, renal, hepatic, hematological, neurological, or psychiatric disorders will be excluded. * Participants with a history or current evidence of alcohol abuse within the previous year will be excluded. * Participants currently engaged in an intense workout regimen will be excluded. * Participants with a musculoskeletal disability that may interfere with exercise applicability, such as cervical or lumbar radiculopathy, will be excluded.