Physical Activity and Physical Function in Individuals Post-bariatric Surgery

A better understanding of the physical activity behavior of individuals who undergo bariatric surgery will enable the development of effective post-surgical exercise guidelines and interventions to enhance weight loss outcomes. This study characterized the physical activity profile and physical function of 40 subjects 2-5 years post-bariatric surgery and examined the association between physical activity, physical function, and weight loss after surgery. Moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity (MVPA) was assessed with the BodyMedia SenseWearA (R) Pro (SWPro) armband, and physical function (PF) was measured using the physical function subscale of the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey instrument (SF-36(PF)). Height and weight were measured. Percent of excess weight loss (%EWL) was associated with MVPA (r = 0.44, p = 0.01) and PF (r = 0.38, p = 0.02); MVPA was not associated with PF (r = 0.24, p = 0.14). Regression analysis demonstrated that MVPA was associated with %EWL (beta = 0.38, t = 2.43, p = 0.02). Subjects who participated in a parts per thousand yen150 min/week of MVPA had a greater %EWL (68.2 +/- 19, p = 0.01) than those who participated in < 150 min/week (52.5 +/- 17.4). Results suggest that subjects are capable of performing most mobility activities. However, the lack of an association between PF and MVPA suggests that a higher level of PF does not necessarily correspond to a higher level of MVPA participation. Thus, the barriers to adoption of a more physically active lifestyle may not be fully explained by the subjects' physical limitations. Further understanding of this relationship is needed for the development of post-surgical weight loss guidelines and interventions.