title: Aerobic exercise training without weight loss reduces dyspnea on exertion in obese women.
abstract: Dyspnea on exertion (DOE) is a common symptom in obesity. We investigated whether aerobic exercise training without weight loss could reduce DOE. Twenty-two otherwise healthy obese women participated in a 12-week supervised aerobic exercise training program, exercising 30 min/day at 70-80% heart rate reserve, 4 days/week. Subjects were grouped based on their Ratings of Perceived Breathlessness (RPB) during constant load 60 W cycling: +DOE (n=12, RPB≥4, 37±7 years, 34±4 kg/m(2)) and -DOE (n=10, RPB≤2, 32±6 years, 33±3 kg/m(2)). No significant differences between the groups in body composition, pulmonary function, or cardiorespiratory fitness were observed pre-training. Post-training,peak was improved significantly in both groups (+DOE: 12±7, -DOE: 14±8%). RPB was significantly decreased in the +DOE (4.7±1.0-2.5±1.0) and remained low in the -DOE group (1.2±0.6-1.3±1.0) (interaction p<0.001). The reduction in RPB was not significantly correlated with the improvement in cardiorespiratory fitness. Aerobic exercise training improved cardiorespiratory fitness and DOE and thus appears to be an effective treatment for DOE in obese women.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Exercise and Environmental Medicine, Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas and University of Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA; Texas A&M University Commerce, Department of Health and Human Performance, Commerce, TX, USA. Electronic address: vipa.bernhardt@tamuc.edu.
authors.forename: Vipa
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Bernhardt
authors.affiliation: Institute for Exercise and Environmental Medicine, Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas and University of Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA. Electronic address: stickfordjl@appstate.edu.
authors.forename: Jonathon L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Stickford
authors.affiliation: Institute for Exercise and Environmental Medicine, Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas and University of Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA. Electronic address: dmbhammar@valdosta.edu.
authors.forename: Dharini M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Bhammar
authors.affiliation: Institute for Exercise and Environmental Medicine, Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas and University of Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA. Electronic address: tonybabb@texashealth.org.
authors.forename: Tony G
authors.initials: TG
authors.lastname: Babb
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001823:Body Composition; D004417:Dyspnea / Q000209:etiology* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D010101:Oxygen Consumption; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D012143:Respiratory Physiological Phenomena; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D015431:Weight Loss / Q000502:physiology
keywords: Breathlessness; Cardiorespiratory fitness; Exercise; Obesity; Shortness of breath