Via practica 3/2022

Exercise literacy of patient with obesity

Obesity – especially in association with low physical fitness – accelerate processes associated with ageing. However, obesity-related changes at the level of tissues and organs are to a great extent reversible by an increase in physical fitness and weight loss. Long-term complex lifestyle modification is the principle therapeutic strategy aimed at reaching this goal. Lifestyle intervention plays an essential role in the effective and sustainable obesity management as an integral part of bariatric surgery or pharmacotherapy of obesity. Efficiency of any obesity therapy aimed at weight loss, can be substantially influenced by the patient’s adherence to the lifestyle modification. Regular exercise is also necessary to increase physical fitness, which cannot be achieved by weight loss caused by dietary restriction alone. Patients need to be provided with the complex and comprehensive information on the expected exercise benefits, recommended dose, and available exercise types, means of activity monitoring as well as associated risk, to maximize benefits and avoid side effects. Supervision by professional physiotherapists and trainers (at least initially) and long-term monitoring of obesity phenotypes, body composition, metabolic health and physical fitness are key to maintain higher levels of physical fitness and to obtain health benefits of regular exercise in patients with obesity.

Keywords: regular physical activity, obesity, patient education and motivation, activity monitoring, physical fitness