Abstract
Obesity affects the respiratory system through various mechanisms, including systemic inflammation and direct mechanical hindrance due to fat deposition in the chest and abdomen. In addition, changes in the neural control of respiration and increases in thoracic blood volume can promote abnormalities in lung function. Thus, determining relationships between the distance covered in the 6-min walk test (6MWT) and demographic and lung function variables may help us better understand the mechanisms involved in reduced functional exercise capacity in obesity. To explore the determinants of the 6-min walking distance (6MWD) and evaluate the influence of lung function on the distance covered, 263 obese Brazilian women performed the 6MWT and underwent spirometry and respiratory muscle strength measurement. The mean age was 41.8±11.1 years. The mean body mass index (BMI) was 45±8 kg/m2. The 6MWD showed correlations with height (r=0.319), age (r=-0.281), weight (r=-0.370), BMI (r=-0.561), forced vital capacity (FVC, r=0.443), expiratory peak flow (r=0.278), maximal inspiratory pressure (MIP, r=0.326), and maximal expiratory pressure (r=0.259), all with P<0.0001. In the stepwise forward regression analysis, BMI, FVC, age, and MIP were the independent predictive variables for 6MWD, explaining 41% of its variability. The reference equation including lung function was as follows: 6MWD (m) = 513.6 - (4.439 × BMIkg/m2) + (1.136 × FVC%predicted) - (1.048 × ageyrs) + (0.544 × MIP%predicted). Thus, the inclusion of lung function in a reference equation for 6MWD contributes to a better prediction of the distance covered in this population.
Highlights
Obesity is a global public health problem, in developed countries but throughout the world [1]
ADLs are impaired because of the excessive accumulation of body fat and because of mechanical factors that may reduce the ability to walk, the latter being a simple measure of physical function and an important component of health-related quality of life (HRQoL)
There is a general consensus that women, especially shorter women, have a shorter stride length and shorter distances covered in the 6-min walk test (6MWT) [4]
Summary
Obesity is a global public health problem, in developed countries but throughout the world [1]. The lower skeletal muscle strength, cardiopulmonary capacity, and effort tolerance and the high metabolic costs translate to increased walking inefficiency, which together with the increased prevalence of associated comorbidities can impair walking [4]. Walking is the most accessible exercise modality for weight control Performance tests, such as the 6-min walk test (6MWT), may reveal the limitations in the cardiorespiratory and motor functions underlying obesity-related disability [4,6]. In this sense, determining the relationship between the 6-min walking distance (6MWD) and the demographic and functional variables of obese subjects may help to better understand the mechanisms involved in their reduced functional exercise capacity
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callMore From: Brazilian journal of medical and biological research = Revista brasileira de pesquisas medicas e biologicas
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
