title: Physical activity stage of readiness predicts moderate-vigorous physical activity participation among morbidly obese gastric bypass surgery candidates.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Despite the ever-growing body of literature linking stage of physical activity readiness (PAR) with physical activity (PA) participation in overweight and obese populations, this relationship has not been examined among individuals seeking gastric bypass surgery (GBS). Furthermore, little is known about the specific intensity of activities undertaken by GBS candidates. Therefore, this study sought to determine whether greater PAR was associated with greater moderate-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) participation among GBS candidates.
  
  
  METHODS
  The International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), administered 2-weeks presurgery to 87 GBS candidates, determined MVPA participation using a formula based on metabolic equivalents (MET)-minutes/week. A stages-of-change measure categorized each candidate into one of five PAR stages: precontemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, or maintenance.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The proportion of individuals in each PAR stage and the corresponding MVPA was as follows: contemplation (5.7%, 48.0 MET-minutes/week), preparation (46%, 394.0 MET-minutes/week), action (34.5%, 1614.0 MET-minutes/week), and maintenance (13.8%, 2056.7 MET-minutes/week). MVPA was significantly greater in candidates in the action or maintenance stages compared with those in contemplation (P =.008 and .025 for action and maintenance, respectively) or preparation (P < .0001 and .006 for action and maintenance, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study is the first to demonstrate a relationship between PAR and PA among GBS candidates, with 100% of the sample reporting either an intention to engage in PA or actual engagement in PA. This finding, coupled with the recent support for the importance of PA for weight loss/maintenance in GBS patients, warrants an investigation into the effectiveness of presurgical and postsurgical PA interventions matched to patients' PAR levels.
authors.affiliation: Department of Exercise Science, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia 23284-2020, USA. dbond@vcu.edu
authors.forename: Dale S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Bond
authors.forename: Ronald K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Evans
authors.forename: Eric J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: DeMaria
authors.forename: Luke G
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Wolfe
authors.forename: Jill G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Meador
authors.forename: John M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Kellum
authors.forename: James W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Maher
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D015390:Gastric Bypass; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity; D009767:Obesity, Morbid / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery; D010809:Physical Fitness; D012647:Self-Assessment; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires