Semi-supervised Exercise Program Before Bariatric Surgery

Background: Patients awaiting bariatric surgery, apart from suffering higher BMI, show a large number of comorbidities and a low physical fitness. These factors are associated with a longer surgery time, a longer hospital stay and a greater number of operative complications. To reduce these disadvantages, a nutritional intervention is performed to reduce total weight and the comorbidities associated with obesity prior to surgery. However, the prescription of an exercise program, which can be an effective tool to improve these factors, is not usually part of the usual care of these patients. Objective: To know the effects of a semi-supervised exercise program on body composition, cardiovascular risk factors and operative complications in bariatric patients. Methods: Approximately 3 months before surgery, 60 patients awaiting bariatric surgery will be recruited. Patients will be randomized into two groups: a) an experimental group (n = 30); b) a control group (n = 30). The experimental group will perform a semi-supervised exercise program, while the control group will only perform the corresponding evaluations. Both groups will be assessed for body composition, cardiovascular risk factors, physical condition, quality of life and physical activity levels at the beginning and at the end of the intervention. In addition, surgery time, hospital length of stay and operative complications will be evaluated in both groups.