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Inspiratory muscle activity during incremental exercise in obese men

International Journal of Obesity volume 31, pages 1456–1463 (2007)Cite this article

Abstract

Objective:

The aim of this study was to assess overall inspiratory muscle activity during incremental exercise in obese men and healthy controls using the non-invasive, inspiratory muscle tension–time index (TT0.1). We studied 17 obese subjects (mean age±s.d.; 49±13 years) and 14 control subjects (42±16) during an incremental, maximal exercise test.

Methods:

Measurements included anthropometric parameters, spirometry, breathing patterns and inspiratory muscle activity. TT0.1 was calculated using the equation TT0.1=P0.1/PImax × TI/TTOT (where P0.1 is mouth occlusion pressure, PImax is maximal inspiratory pressure and TI/TTOT is the duty cycle).

Results:

At same levels of maximal exercise (%Wmax) (20, 40, 60, 80, 100% Wmax), obese subjects showed higher P0.1 (P<0.001) and P0.1/PImax (P<0.001) values than controls. TT0.1 was thus higher in obese subjects for each workload increment and at maximal exercise (P<0.001).

Conclusions:

During exercise, patients with obesity show alterations in inspiratory muscle activity as a result of both reduced inspiratory strength (as measured by maximal inspiratory pressure) and increased ventilatory drive (as reflected by mouth occlusion pressure), which prone obese subject to respiratory muscle weakness. Our results suggest that impaired respiratory muscle activity could contribute to a decrease in exercise capacity. TT0.1 may be useful in our understanding concerning the benefits of endurance training.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank the medical staff of the Department of Cardiac Rehabilitation of Corbie's Hospital for their technical assistance and the obese subjects from Nutritional and Physical Rehabilitation Department of Corbie's Hospital for their dedication to the study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Sport Science Department, EA 3300 ‘APS and Motor Patterns: Adaptations-Rehabilitation’, Faculté des Sciences du Sport, Picardie Jules Verne University, Amiens Cedex, France

    M Chlif, D Keochkerian, D Choquet & S Ahmaidi

  2. Laboratoire de Physiologie de la Nutrition, Faculté des Sciences de Tunis, Tunis, Tunisia

    Y Feki

  3. Department of Nutritional and Physical Rehabilitation, Corbie's Hospital, Corbie, France

    A Vaidie

  4. Department of Cardiac Rehabilitation, Corbie's Hospital, Corbie, France

    D Choquet

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  1. M Chlif
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  2. D Keochkerian
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  5. D Choquet
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Correspondence to S Ahmaidi.

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Chlif, M., Keochkerian, D., Feki, Y. et al. Inspiratory muscle activity during incremental exercise in obese men. Int J Obes 31, 1456–1463 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ijo.0803546

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ijo.0803546

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