title: Influence of weight loss programmes on walking speed and relative oxygen cost (%VO2max) in obese women during walking.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective was to investigate effects of dieted weight reduction on walking ability in obese women.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty-seven obese women 44.1 +/- 10.7 years, body mass index 37.1 +/- 3.4 kg x m(-2) performed an indoor walking test. Speed, oxygen consumption and heart rate were measured, perceived exertion and pain graded and oxygen cost calculated. Maximum oxygen uptake (VO2max/kg) was predicted from a submaximum bicycle ergometry test. All tests were measured at baseline, after 12 weeks' weight reduction and after 52 weeks' maintenance.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Despite a partial weight relapse, improvements were seen in body mass index, self-selected walking speed, VO2max/kg, heart rate, perceived exertion and relative oxygen cost of walking (% VO2max).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A modest weight reduction of 10% in moderately-to-severely obese women significantly improved their walking ability, perceived exertion and %VO2max. When dealing with obese women, attention should be drawn to these positive effects, instead of focusing only on the magnitude of the weight loss.
authors.affiliation: Neurotec Department, Division of Physiotherapy, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge, Sweden. ulla.evers.larsson@neurotec.ki.se
authors.forename: Ulla Evers
authors.initials: UE
authors.lastname: Larsson
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mattsson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001823:Body Composition; D015992:Body Mass Index; D004038:Diet, Reducing; D005080:Exercise Test; D017079:Exercise Tolerance / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000628:therapy*; D010101:Oxygen Consumption; D010809:Physical Fitness / Q000502:physiology; D011336:Probability; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012494:Sampling Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D016138:Walking / Q000502:physiology*; D015431:Weight Loss / Q000502:physiology*