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Updated: Sep 26, 2026

Assessment of Physical Activity Intensity with Accelerometers and Oxygen Consumption
Published on: June 20, 2025
Influence of weight loss programmes on walking speed and relative oxygen cost (%VO2max) in obese women during walking
Ulla Evers Larsson1, Eva Mattsson
1Neurotec Department, Division of Physiotherapy, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge, Sweden. ulla.evers.larsson@neurotec.ki.se
Objective:
The objective was to investigate effects of dieted weight reduction on walking ability in obese women.
Methods:
Fifty-seven obese women 44.1 +/- 10.7 years, body mass index 37.1 +/- 3.4 kg x m(-2) performed an indoor walking test. Speed, oxygen consumption and heart rate were measured, perceived exertion and pain graded and oxygen cost calculated. Maximum oxygen uptake (VO2max/kg) was predicted from a submaximum bicycle ergometry test. All tests were measured at baseline, after 12 weeks' weight reduction and after 52 weeks' maintenance.
Results:
Despite a partial weight relapse, improvements were seen in body mass index, self-selected walking speed, VO2max/kg, heart rate, perceived exertion and relative oxygen cost of walking (% VO2max).
Conclusion:
A modest weight reduction of 10% in moderately-to-severely obese women significantly improved their walking ability, perceived exertion and %VO2max. When dealing with obese women, attention should be drawn to these positive effects, instead of focusing only on the magnitude of the weight loss.
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