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Is the Peri-Bariatric Surgery Exercise Program Effective in Adults with Obesity: a Systematic Review

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Abstract

The number of people with obesity continues to increase. Bariatric surgery is the most effective treatment for severe obesity. However, this surgery also has disadvantages, such as an increased risk of excessive loss of fat-free mass, lean body mass, and muscle mass compared to other weight loss interventions. PubMed and Cochrane Library database including articles in English, Dutch, French, and German were used. From the 3609 retrieved references, 20 articles were selected. Compared with the control group, physical exercise improved body mass index (5 of 13 articles), weight loss (7 of 17 articles), functional capacity (2 of 5 articles), muscle strength (1 of 1 article), fat-free mass (3 of 5 articles), cardiorespiratory endurance (4 of 6 articles), and quality of life (2 of 4 articles) in obese patients undergoing BS. Current data is suggestive of positive effects of exercise on body mass index, weight loss, functional capacity, muscle strength, fat-free mass, cardiorespiratory endurance, and quality of life in obese patients undergoing bariatric surgery. However, our conclusions are limited because of the heterogeneity of programs and short studies. Further research is needed to determine the most effective physical exercise program in peri-bariatric surgery.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institut de Recherche Expérimentale et Clinique (IREC), Groupe de Recherche en Kinésithérapie Respiratoire, Université Catholique de Louvain, 1200, Brussels, Belgium

    Gaëlle Schurmans & Gregory Reychler

  2. Service de Médecine Physique, Centre Hospitalier Wallonie Picarde (CHWAPI), Avenue Delmée 9, 7500, Tournai, Belgium

    Gilles Caty

  3. Service de Pneumologie, Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc, 1200, Brussels, Belgium

    Gregory Reychler

  4. Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc, Secteur de kinésithérapie, 1200, Brussels, Belgium

    Gregory Reychler

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  1. Gaëlle Schurmans
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Correspondence to Gaëlle Schurmans.

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Key Points

• Bariatric surgery has disadvantages such as an increased risk of excessive loss of fat-free mass, lean body mass, and muscle mass compared to other weight loss interventions.

• It seems like only in the long-term a significant intergroup difference between the control and the intervention group, would appear in weight loss, body mass index, fat-free mass, and lean body mass.

• Current data is suggestive of positive effects of exercise on body mass index, weight loss, functional capacity, muscle strength, fat-free mass, cardiorespiratory endurance, and quality of life in obese patients undergoing bariatric surgery.

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Schurmans, G., Caty, G. & Reychler, G. Is the Peri-Bariatric Surgery Exercise Program Effective in Adults with Obesity: a Systematic Review. OBES SURG 32, 512–535 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11695-021-05693-3

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