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Muscle Force and Force Control After Weight Loss in Obese and Morbidly Obese Men

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Abstract

Background

Decrease in fat mass and fat-free mass have been observed with weight loss induced by a dietary intervention or surgery. There are concerns that fat-free mass decrease could have some negative functional consequences. The aim of this study was to examine how weight loss affects strength and force control in obese and morbidly obese men.

Methods

Weight loss was obtained in obese individuals by a hypocaloric diet program until resistance to lose fat and in morbidly obese individuals by bariatric surgery. Maximal force was measured for upper and lower limb and the ability to maintain 15% and 40% of that force. These measures were taken at baseline, in those dieting once resistant to weight loss and 1 year after surgery for those operated on. Normal weight individuals used for control were evaluated twice (6 to 12 months apart).

Results

At baseline, there was no significant difference between groups for maximal forces and capabilities to maintain force levels. Weight loss averaged 11.1% of the initial body weight after dieting and 46.3% 1 year after surgery. At the same time, there was for the lower limb a loss of 10.1% in maximal force after dieting and 33.5% after surgery. For the upper limb, there was no change in maximal force after dieting whereas a decrease of 14.4% was observed after surgery. When transformed in force related to body weight, there was no change in relative force for the lower limb after dieting whereas an increased relative force after surgery. There was no significant difference for the ability for maintaining force levels.

Conclusion

Despite a large force loss, particularly for the lower limbs in morbidly obese individuals after surgery, this loss is relatively well tolerated because the relation between force and body weight is even improved and the ability to maintain that force is preserved.

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Acknowledgements

All subjects are gratefully acknowledged. Special thanks to Paule Marceau and the surgeon team at the Department of Surgery of Laval Hospital, especially Drs. Fredéric-Simon Hould, Stéfane Lebel, Simon Biron and Odette Lescelleur. Finally, thanks to Marcel Kaszap for programming expertise and François Bégin for his help in data collection. This study was supported by a Collaborative Health Research Project (CHRP) of NSERC and NSERC Discovery grants of Canada.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Département des sciences de l’activité physique, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Québec, Canada

    Olivier Hue

  2. Faculté de médecine, Division de kinésiologie, PEPS, Département de médecine sociale et préventive, Université Laval, Québec, Québec, Canada, G1K 7P4

    Félix Berrigan, Martin Simoneau, Julie Marcotte, Angelo Tremblay & Normand Teasdale

  3. Centre de recherche du CHA—Axe perte d’autonomie et sciences neurologiques du Québec, Centre d’excellence sur le vieillissement—Hôpital Saint-Sacrement, Québec, Québec, Canada

    Martin Simoneau & Normand Teasdale

  4. Faculté de médecine, Département de chirurgie, Université Laval, Québec, Québec, Canada

    Picard Marceau & Simon Marceau

  5. Département de chirurgie générale, Hôpital Laval, Québec, Québec, Canada

    Picard Marceau & Simon Marceau

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  1. Olivier Hue
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  2. Félix Berrigan
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  4. Julie Marcotte
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  8. Normand Teasdale
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Correspondence to Normand Teasdale.

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Hue, O., Berrigan, F., Simoneau, M. et al. Muscle Force and Force Control After Weight Loss in Obese and Morbidly Obese Men. OBES SURG 18, 1112–1118 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11695-008-9597-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11695-008-9597-5

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