Improved Exercise Behaviors Associated with a Comprehensive Structured Exercise Program Following Bariatric Surgery

Background: Although regular exercise is a significant predictor of weight loss and weight loss maintenance, bariatric surgery patients are mostly sedentary/ low active presurgery, and up to 44% of these patients do not engage in regular exercise at 1 year postsurgery. Furthermore, of all postsurgical behavioral recommendations, exercise is the most likely area of nonadherence. The goal of this study was to evaluate adherence to a structured, postsurgical exercise program and to explore the preliminary efficacy of this program on trends in exercise frequency, duration, and intensity. Methods: Data on exercise behaviors during group exercise sessions and at home were collected from all 46 patients participating in a 12-week, structured, postsurgical exercise program. Linear regression was used to determine whether exercise behaviors changed over time. Results: The frequency and duration of at-home exercise increased from 3.3 (1.9) times per week for 37.4 (18.3) min/session at week 1 to 4.3 (1.7) times per ...