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Is walking for exercise too exhausting for obese women?
E Mattsson1, U E Larsson, S Rössner
1Department of Physical Therapy, Karolinska Institute, Huddinge, Sweden.
Summary
Obese women experience higher relative oxygen cost during walking due to lower maximal oxygen uptake, not just obesity itself. This explains why many find exercise exhausting and painful, hindering adherence to medical advice.
Area of Science:
- Exercise Physiology
- Obesity Research
Background:
- Obesity is associated with increased perceived exertion and pain during physical activity.
- Understanding the physiological cost of walking in obese individuals is crucial for promoting exercise adherence.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the relative oxygen cost (percentage of maximal oxygen uptake, % VO2max) during level walking in obese women.
- To identify factors contributing to high exertion and pain during walking in this population.
Main Methods:
- Fifty-seven obese women (BMI 37.1 ± 3.4 kg/m²) performed walking tests at a self-selected speed.
- Oxygen consumption (VO2) was measured, and maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) was predicted via bicycle ergometry.
- Perceived exertion and pain were assessed using Borg's CR10 scale.
Main Results:
- Obese women walked slower and had higher absolute oxygen consumption compared to normal subjects.
- The mean % VO2max during walking was significantly higher in obese women (56%) than in normal subjects (36%).
- Lower VO2max/kg, higher heart rate, and age were correlated with increased % VO2max during walking.
Conclusions:
- Low maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max/kg), rather than obesity severity, is the primary driver of high relative oxygen cost during walking in obese women.
- This physiological limitation may explain why obese women perceive exercise as excessively strenuous and struggle to follow clinical recommendations for brisk walking.