Physical activity compensation (PAC) has been studied in a populations ranging from children to older adults participating across a range of mixed exercise interventions yielding equivocal results. Although physical activity is the highest predictor of weight loss success in post-bariatric (PB) individuals, it has not been reported if compensatory physical activity is also exhibited in PB individuals during exercise intervention. PURPOSE: To determine if PAC occurs on days following different types supervised exercise sessions in obese and post-bariatric individuals as measured by step count. METHODS: Ten obese individual [7 female, 3 male; BMI = 38.99 ± 6.5] and 8 PB individuals [7 female, 1 male; Body Mass Index (BMI) = 34.95 ± 7.6] participated in a supervised 12 week three days per week treadmill exercise training program. The obese continuous moderate intensity group exercised for 20 minutes at 60% HRR for weeks 3 through 6 and 20 minutes at 65% HRR for weeks 7 through 12. The PB high intensity interval group exercised at 80% of their age adjusted heart rate reserve (HRR) for 4 one minute intervals interspersed with 4 minute recovery bouts at 50% of the HRR for weeks 3 through 6. Exercise was increased to 6 one minute bouts at the same HRR intensity and recovery time for weeks 7 through 12. . Both exercise interventions included a 2-week run-in to avoid injuries. Total weekly and daily steps were measured using micro activPALs for the pre-exercise week and weeks 3, 9 and 12.
RESULTS: Paired post hoc t tests (P >.05) found both obese and PB groups average daily steps were lower on days following supervised sessions. Average steps on days for exercise in week 3 for the Obese and PB groups were 9,840 and 10,797 respectively. For week 9, the average step count on days following supervised exercise was 7,567 for the obese group and 7,731 for the PB group. In both groups regardless of exercise mode, daily step counts increased and plateaued for weeks 3 through 9 and approached pre-study levels in week 12.
CONCLUSIONS: Despite different types of exercise intervention methods and near matching step volume, both obese and PB groups demonstrated lower levels of physical activity on the following day. The step count on those days was closely aligned with counts measured prior to exercise training and reflects a habitual and familiar activity pattern.