Dyspnea on exertion in obese men
Vipa Bernhardt1, Helen E Wood, Raksa B Moran
1Institute for Exercise and Environmental Medicine, Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas and University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 7232 Greenville Ave., Ste 435, Dallas, TX 75231, USA. VipaBernhardt@TexasHealth.org
Respiratory Physiology & Neurobiology
|October 23, 2012
Summary
In obese men, shortness of breath during exercise is not linked to breathing's oxygen cost. Instead, it strongly correlates with perceived exertion, suggesting different mechanisms than in obese women.
Area of Science:
- Exercise Physiology
- Obesity Research
- Respiratory Medicine
Background:
- Dyspnea on exertion (DOE) is common in obese individuals.
- Previous research linked DOE to increased oxygen cost of breathing in obese women.
- The mechanisms of DOE in obese men remain unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the mechanism of dyspnea on exertion in obese men.
- To determine if the oxygen cost of breathing contributes to DOE in this population.
Main Methods:
- Studied obese men with varying levels of perceived breathlessness during cycling.
- Measured body composition, fat distribution, pulmonary function, and exercise parameters.
- Assessed oxygen cost of breathing and correlated it with perceived breathlessness and exertion.
Main Results:
- No association found between perceived breathlessness and the oxygen cost of breathing.
- Perceived breathlessness was strongly correlated with ratings of perceived exertion (RPE).
- Minor differences in fat distribution, pulmonary function, and steady-state exercise between groups.
Conclusions:
- The mechanism of dyspnea on exertion in obese men appears unrelated to the oxygen cost of breathing.
- Perceived exertion is a key factor in DOE for obese men.
- Further research is needed to elucidate the specific mechanisms driving DOE in obese men.
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