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Changes in body composition, physical performance and cardiovascular risk factors after a 3-week integrated body weight reduction program and after 1-y follow-up in severely obese men and women

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 59, pages 685–694 (2005)Cite this article

Abstract

Objective:

To investigate the short- and medium-term (ie, at 1-y follow-up) effects of a hospital-based body weight reduction (BWR) program lasting 3 weeks in severely obese individuals.

Design:

Longitudinal, clinical intervention study entailing energy-restricted diet, tailored aerobic-strength exercise, psychological counselling and nutritional education during a 3-week period followed by 49 weeks of indirect supervision at home.

Subjects:

In all, 45 women and 19 men aged 30.2±7.2 y (mean±s.d.) with severe obesity (BMI: 41.3±4.3 kg/m2), classified as weight losers (final<initial weight) and regainers (final≥initial weight).

Interventions:

Body composition, physical performance and cardiovascular risk factors before and after the BWR program and at follow-up.

Results:

The large majority of the experimental subjects obtained a clinical success after the 1-y period, and the rate was higher in females (n=37/45, ie, 82.2%) than in males (n=11/19, ie, 57.9%). At follow-up, weight losers had higher percent fat-free mass, muscle strength, HDL-cholesterol and self-reported physical activity level and lower total cholesterol and glucose levels than weight regainers (P<0.05–0.01). Males displayed significantly larger fat-free mass losses than females at post-BWR and at follow-up.

Conclusions:

A 3-week hospital-based integrated BWR program resulted in a high rate of clinical success in severely obese individuals at 1-y follow-up (particularly in females), that was associated with increased levels of self-reported physical activity and improved muscle strength and lipid profile. Further research is needed to establish the long-term effects (ie, at 2–5 y) associated to this treatment.

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Acknowledgements

This work is partially supported by Progetto di Ricerca Corrente, Istituto Auxologico Italiano, IRCCS, Milan, Italy. The technical assistance of Mr S Ottolini and M Proietti was greatly appreciated. We are also indebted to Drs A Tibaldi and M Resnik and to Ms F Pera (head nurse) of the 3rd Division of Metabolic Diseases for their qualified assistance and to Dr A Martin (University of Burgundy) for statistical advice and recommendations.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Experimental Laboratory for Endocrinological Research, Italian Institute for Auxology, IRCCS, Milan, Italy

    N A Maffiuletti, F Agosti, P G Marinone & A Sartorio

  2. INSERM Erm 207 Laboratory, University of Burgundy, Dijon, France

    N A Maffiuletti

  3. 3rd Division of Metabolic Diseases, Italian Institute for Auxology, IRCCS, Piancavallo - Verbania, Italy

    G Silvestri & A Sartorio

  4. Institute of Molecular Bioimaging and Physiology, CNR, Milan, Italy

    C L Lafortuna

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  1. N A Maffiuletti
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  2. F Agosti
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  3. P G Marinone
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  4. G Silvestri
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  5. C L Lafortuna
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  6. A Sartorio
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Correspondence to N A Maffiuletti.

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Guarantors: NA Maffiuletti and A Sartorio.

Contributors: AS, CLF and NAM designed the study. FA, GS and PGM undertook the protocol and collected the data. NAM and AS interpreted the data and drafted the manuscript. NAM revised and edited the manuscript.

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Maffiuletti, N., Agosti, F., Marinone, P. et al. Changes in body composition, physical performance and cardiovascular risk factors after a 3-week integrated body weight reduction program and after 1-y follow-up in severely obese men and women. Eur J Clin Nutr 59, 685–694 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602130

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