title: Effect of Exercise on Pulmonary Function Tests in Obese Malaysian Patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Obesity has taken the 21st century by storm, posing negative effects on of the various facades of health, healthcare and global economy. With regards to pulmonary performance, numerous studies have proven the detrimental effects of obesity while reinstating the positive effects of weight loss on overall pulmonary function. However, effects of exercise on pulmonary function and correlation between changes in pulmonary function test with weight loss have yet to be described. We performed a prospective interventional study to determine the effects of regular exercise on Pulmonary Function Tests (PFT) and ascertain the relationship between weight loss and change in PFT in obese patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-five obese patients were enrolled, giving an 80% power of study. Baseline weight and PFT consisting of FEV1, FVC, TLC, mean ERV and VC were recorded prior to commencement of the 8 week long Standard Exercise Regimen (SER). PFT and weight were recorded again at the end of 8 weeks.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All parameters of the PFT studied improved significantly with exercise. The participants lost an average of 1kg of body weight post-exercise (p<0.0005). The correlations between mean changes in weight and PFT were negligible.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A period of supervised regular exercise improves the pulmonary function of obese patients and this improvement is independent of the amount of weight loss. Hence, SER should be recommended to all obese patients, especially when bariatric surgery is desired.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Surgery Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors.forename: L K S
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Christopher
authors.affiliation: Departments of Surgery Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors.forename: N R
authors.initials: NR
authors.lastname: Kosai
authors.affiliation: Departments of Surgery Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Reynu
authors.affiliation: Departments of Surgery Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors.forename: K B
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Levin
authors.affiliation: Departments of Surgery Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Taher
authors.affiliation: Institute of Translational Medicine, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Sutton
authors.affiliation: Departments of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sukor
authors.affiliation: Departments of Anatomy, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Das
mesh_terms: D001835:Body Weight; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D009765:Obesity / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests
keywords: Exercise; Obesity; Pulmonary function; Weight loss