Physical fitness and physical activity in women with obesity: short term effects of sleeve gastrectomy

Introduction: the increase on prevalence of obesity has been linked to a higher number of bariatric surgeries, being sleeve gastrectomy (SG) the most frequent bariatric procedures in the world. However, there are few studies that determine the impact of SG on health's determinants such as physical fitness (PF) and physical activity (PA). Objectives: to describe the changes in PF and PA of patients after SG. Methods: twenty-three women with obesity (mean 36.1 ± 11.1 years old and body mass index [BMI] of 35.1 ± 3.4 kg/m2) were evaluated preoperatively to SG and at one and three months after surgery. An assessment of PF was conducted, including handgrip (HGS) and quadriceps muscle strength (QMS) with dynamometers and cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) with an ergospirometer. PA was assessed with a three-axis accelerometer. Results: the absolute VO2 peak decreased after the first and third month (p < 0.001) post SG. The VO2 peak relative to body weight showed an increase from baseline after the SG (p = 0.002). After SG, there was a reduction in absolute values for HGS and QMS (p < 0.001) and an increase in relative HGS after three months post-surgery compared to preoperative (p = 0.011), without changes in relative QMS (p = 0.596). No changes in PA were observed. Conclusions: after SG, there is a short term decline on PF when it is expressed on absolute values. However, when it is expressed in relative terms to body weight, some components of PF improve, while others showed no change. There was no modification in PA levels of the participants.