Three-week integrated body weight reduction programme markedly improves performance and work capacity in severely obese patients

The aim of this study was to assess the effects on performance and work capacity of a short-term (3-week) integrated body weight reduction programme consisting of an energy-restricted diet, nutritional education, psychological counselling and aerobic exercise training at a constant metabolic load (5 days/week) in 71 severely obese patients (18 males and 53 females aged 29.3±0.8 years, with a mean weight of 113.8±2.2 kg and a mean BMI of 41.3± 0.5 kg/m^-2). Body mass and composition, and maximum oxygen consumption (VO₂max) were determined before and after the programme. The caloric equivalent of work output and a performance index (PI) during 10 min of bicycle ergometer pedalling (50-60 rpm) and 20 min of treadmill walking (incline 0-3%) at a constant metabolic load (50% of individual VO ₂max during the preliminary conditioning period - 1^st week- and 60% during the exercise conditioning period - 2^nd and 3^rd week) were evaluated daily throughout the study. After the programme, body mass reduced significantly (-4.5%, p2max significantly increased by respectively 14.5% and 20.2% (p