Table 2. Anthropometric and body composition measurements in study groups .

Variables	SAE (n=25)	Crocin (n=25)	Placebo (n=25)	P	P #
Body weight, kg
Baseline	83.60±12.66	79.68±10.30	78.20±10.78	0.224 a
Week 8	81.29±12.66	78.79±10.30	78.24±10.49	<0.001b	<0.001
Within group MD (95% CI) P value c	-2.31(-2.88 to -1.74) <0.001	-0.89(-1.33 to -0.45) <0.001	0.04(-0.34 to 0.43) 0.818
BMI, kg/m2
Baseline	28.64±2.23	27.92±2.57	28.05±2.89	0.576 a
Week 8	27.84±2.32	27.62±2.53	28.08±2.88	<0.001b	<0.001
Within group MD (95% CI) P value c	-0.79(-0.98 to -0.61) <0.001	-0.29(-0.45 to -0.14) 0.001	0.03(-0.11 to 0.16) 0.674
Waist, cm
Baseline	95.00±12.85	92.84±9.13	91.84±10.73	0.642 a
Week 8	92.68±13.03	91.42±8.94	92.13±10.88	<0.001b	<0.001
Within group MD (95% CI) P value c	-2.32( -2.76 to -1.88) <0.001	-1.42(-1.83 to -1.01) <0.001	0.29(-1.18 to 1.76) 0.686
WHR
Baseline	0.92±0.07	0.90±0.06	0.92±0.05	0.501a
Week 8	0.90±0.07	0.89±0.06	0.91±0.04	0.001b	0.002
Within group MD (95% CI) P value c	-0.01(-0.02 to -0.01) <0.001	-0.01(-0.02 to -0.01) <0.001	-0.003(-0.007 to 0.001) 0.175
FM, kg
Baseline	26.61±4.23	25.78±7.39	25.26±5.52	0.715 a
Week 8	25.06±4.42	24.96±7.40	25.23±5.63	<0.001b	<0.001
Within group MD (95% CI) P value c	-1.55(-1.99 to -1.11) <0.001	-0.82(-1.22 to -0.43) <0.001	-0.03(-0.27 to 0.20) 0.768
Fat %
Baseline	32.16±4.83	32.29±7.60	32.38±6.14	0.992a
Week 8	31.14±5.05	31.58±7.66	32.31±6.14	<0.001b	<0.001
Within group MD (95% CI) P value c	-1.02(-1.38 to -0.65) <0.001	-0.71(-1.06 to -0.36) <0.001	-0.07(-0.23 to 0.08) 0.341
FFM, kg
Baseline	56.99±10.98	53.89±8.99	52.94±9.25	0.316a
Week 8	56.23±10.97	53.83±8.87	53.01±9.07	<0.001b	<0.001
Within group MD (95% CI) P value c	-0.76 (-1.03 to -0.49) <0.001	-0.07(-0.31 to 0.18) 0.582	0.08(-0.10 to 0.25) 0.373

SAE: Saffron Aqueous Extract, BMI: Body Mass Index, WHR: Waist to Hip Ratio, FM: Fat Mass, FFM: Fat Free Mass, MD: Mean Difference, CI: confidence interval

^aData are presented as means±SD. Statistical analyses are performed by means of one way ANOVA.

^bData are presented as means±SD. Statistical analyses are performed by means of ANCOVA adjusted for baseline measurements.

^cWithin group mean difference (95% confidence interval) based on paired t-test.

^# P value based on ANCOVA adjusted for baseline measurements, age and sex.