title: Comprehensive assessment of physical functioning in bariatric surgery candidates compared with subjects without obesity.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Obesity appears to be associated with reduced physical performance, but comprehensive assessments of physical functioning are lacking in subjects with severe obesity, in particular in comparison with subjects without obesity. This precludes an objective assessment of the degree of impairment.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To compare motor skills and cardiopulmonary fitness between subjects with severe obesity (OB) (i.e., candidates for bariatric surgery) and control subjects without obesity (non-OB).
  
  
  METHODS
  Cantonal Hospital, Switzerland.
  
  
  METHODS
  Flexibility, movement speed, balance, maximal isometric strength, and cardiopulmonary fitness were tested in 45 OB (body mass index: 42.6±.9 kg/m(2); age: 35±1.7 years; 33 women) and 32 non-OB (body mass index: 23±.4 kg/m(2); age: 38.5±2.1 years; 25 women) subjects.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In comparison with the non-OB group, the OB group showed reduced shoulder flexibility (P<.001) but comparable hamstrings flexibility (P = .3). Speed-related tasks (i.e., timed up-and-go test and timed lying-to-standing test) indicated that the OB group was slower than the non-OB group (all P<.007). Strength-related tasks indicated a greater absolute back muscle and knee-extensor strength (all P<.002) in the OB group with no difference in knee-flexor strength (both P>.8). However, when related to weight, the OB group showed reduced maximal strength (all P<.002). Bicycle spiroergometry indicated that absolute oxygen consumption at peak exercise and at the anaerobic threshold did not differ between groups (both P>.06). Related to weight, however, values were lower in the OB than in the non-OB group (both P< .001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Data indicate a differential pattern of functional impairment in bariatric surgery candidates compared with subjects without obesity. These findings might help to establish tailored intervention protocols to improve physical performance in such subjects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Cantonal Hospital St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Rahel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Waldburger
authors.affiliation: eSwiss Medical and Surgical Center, Interdisciplinary Obesity Center, St. Gallen, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Bernd
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Schultes
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Cantonal Hospital St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Runa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zazai
authors.affiliation: eSwiss Medical and Surgical Center, Interdisciplinary Obesity Center, St. Gallen, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ernst
authors.affiliation: eSwiss Medical and Surgical Center, Interdisciplinary Obesity Center, St. Gallen, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Thurnheer
authors.affiliation: Exercise Physiology Lab, Institute of Human Movement Sciences and Sport, Zurich, Switzerland; Zurich Center for Integrative Human Physiology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Christina M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Spengler
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Cantonal Hospital St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland; Exercise Physiology Lab, Institute of Human Movement Sciences and Sport, Zurich, Switzerland. Electronic address: britta.wilms@hest.ethz.ch.
authors.forename: Britta
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wilms
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D050110:Bariatric Surgery; D015992:Body Mass Index; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009048:Motor Skills / Q000502:physiology; D053580:Muscle Strength / Q000502:physiology; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000502:physiology; D009767:Obesity, Morbid / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000502:physiology; D004856:Postural Balance / Q000502:physiology; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular / Q000502:physiology; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D012785:Shoulder Joint / Q000502:physiology
keywords: Balance; Cardiopulmonary fitness; Controls; Flexibility; Movement speed; Severe obesity; Strength