Search

Background: Clinical practice guidelines globally recommend lifestyle modification including diet and exercise training as first-line treatment for obesity. The clinical benefits of exercise training in adults with obesity is well-documented; however, there is no strong evidence for the effectiveness of exercise training for weight loss in class II and class III obesity. The purpose of the randomised controlled trial described in this protocol article is to examine the effect of exercise training, in addition to a very low energy diet (VLED), in clinically severe obese women for changes in body composition, physical function, quality of life, and markers of cardiometabolic risk.Methods/design: Sixty women, aged 18-50 years with a body mass index (BMI) greater than 34.9 kg.m(2) and at least one obesity-related co-morbidity, will be recruited for this 12-month study. Participants will be randomised to either exercise plus energy restriction (n = 30), or energy restriction alone (n = 30). All participants will follow an energy-restricted individualised diet incorporating a VLED component. The exercise intervention group will also receive exercise by supervised aerobic and resistance training and a home-based exercise programme totalling 300 minutes per week. Primary outcome measures include body composition and aerobic fitness. Secondary outcome measures include: physical function, cardiometabolic risk factors, quality of life, physical activity, and mental health. All outcome measures will be conducted at baseline, 3, 6 and 12 months.Discussion: Previous research demonstrates various health benefits of including exercise training as part of a healthy lifestyle at all BMI ranges. Although clinical practice guidelines recommend exercise training as part of first-line treatment for overweight and obesity, there are few studies that demonstrate the effectiveness of exercise in class II and class III obesity. The study aims to determine whether the addition of exercise training to a VLED provides more favourable improvements in body composition, physical function, quality of life, and markers of cardiometabolic risk for women with clinically severe obesity, compared to VLED alone.Trial Registration: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ( ACTRN12611000694910 ). Date registered: 4 July 2011. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents information about a research conducted for determining the surgically induced weight loss effectiveness than with conventional weight loss therapy in the management of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). The research employed a randomized controlled clinical trial of 60 obese patients with body mass index of greater than 35 and less than 55 with recently diagnosed OSA and an apnea-hypopnea index (AHI). These patients were prescribed continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy for managing OSA and were identified through accredited community sleep clinics. The trial has been conducted by university and teaching hospital-based clinical researchers in Melbourne, Victoria.