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  • Original Article
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Reducing weight increases postural stability in obese and morbid obese men

International Journal of Obesity volume 31, pages 153–160 (2007)Cite this article

Abstract

Objective:

To investigate the effect of weight loss on balance control in obese and morbid obese men.

Methods:

In a longitudinal and clinical intervention study, postural stability was measured with a force platform before and after weight loss in men. Weight loss was obtained in obese men (mean body mass index (BMI)=33.0 kg/m2) by hypocaloric diet until resistance and in morbid obese men (mean BMI=50.5 kg/m2) by bariatric surgery. Morbid obese men were tested before surgery, and 3 and 12 months after surgery when they had lost 20 and nearly 50% of initial body weight, respectively. Normal weight individuals (mean BMI=22.7 kg/m2) were tested twice within a 6- to 12-month period to serve as control. Body fatness and fat distribution measures, and posturographic parameters of the center of foot pressure (CP) along the antero-posterior and medio-lateral axes for conditions with and without vision were performed in all subjects.

Results:

Weight loss averaged 12.3 kg after dieting and 71.3 kg after surgery. Body weight remained unchanged in the control group. After weight loss, nearly all measures of postural stability were improved with and without vision (i.e., CP speed and range in antero-posterior and medio-lateral axes). A strong linear relationship was observed between weight loss and improvement in balance control measured from CP speed (adjusted R2=0.65, P<0.001).

Conclusion:

Weight loss improves balance control in obese men and the extent of the improvement is directly related to the amount of weight loss. This should decrease the habitual greater risk of falling observed in obese individuals.

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Acknowledgements

Supported by a NSERC collaborative health grant and NSERC discovery grants. We thank Caroline Paquette and Denis Prud'homme for their contribution to a pilot project that led to this work, and to François Bégin for his help in data collection.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Laval University, Québec, Canada

    N Teasdale, O Hue, J Marcotte, F Berrigan, M Simoneau, J Doré & A Tremblay

  2. Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Laval University, Québec, Canada

    P Marceau & S Marceau

  3. Department of General Surgery, Laval Hospital, Québec, Canada

    P Marceau & S Marceau

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  1. N Teasdale
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  2. O Hue
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  3. J Marcotte
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Correspondence to N Teasdale.

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Teasdale, N., Hue, O., Marcotte, J. et al. Reducing weight increases postural stability in obese and morbid obese men. Int J Obes 31, 153–160 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ijo.0803360

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