Effects of a proposed physical activity and diet control to manage constipation in middle-aged obese women

Sayed A Tantawy,1,2 Dalia M Kamel,2,3 Walid Kamal Abdelbasset,4,5 Hany M Elgohary6 1Department of Physiotherapy, Centre of Radiation, Oncology and Nuclear Medicine, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt;2Department of Physiotherapy, College of Medical and Health Sciences, Ahlia University, Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain; 3Department of Physiotherapy of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Physical Therapy, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt; 4Department of Physical Therapy and Health Rehabilitation, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Prince Sattam Bin Abdul Aziz University, Alkharj, Saudi Arabia; 5Department of Physical Therapy, Kasr Al-Aini Hospital, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt; 6Department of Physical Therapy for Surgery, Faculty of Physical Therapy, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt Background: Obesity is very common worldwide and is related to critical morbidity and mortality. It has a large number of impacts on the human body. Constipation has a prevalence from 4% to 29% in various parts of the world and is considered to be a major health problem, with an estimated incidence of 5% in males and 15% in females. There is a strong association between obesity and constipation. This study aimed to investigate the effect of physical activity and a low-calorie diet on constipation in middle-aged obese women. Methods: This study included 125 obese women (age 20–40 years) who had chronic constipation. Participants were randomly assigned to two groups. Group A included 62 women who received a suggested protocol of physical activity, a low-calorie diet, and the routine standard care for constipation, whereas Group B included 63 women who received only the standard medical care for constipation and a low-calorie diet. Both groups followed the program for 12weeks. Changes in the Patient Assessment of Constipation Symptoms (PAC-SYM) and Patient Assessment Quality of Life (PAC-QOL) scores, and in the body mass index (BMI) were recorded in study subjects, both at baseline and at the end of the study program. Results: There were no statistically significant differences in the baseline characteristics of patients in the two groups. After 12 weeks of intervention, both groups showed significant intragroup differences (p < 0.05) in all of the measured variables, except the BMI which showed a nonsignificant difference (p > 0.05) in Group B. Between-groups comparison showed significant differences (p < 0.05) in all of the measured parameters in favor of Group A. Conclusion: Physical activity and weight reduction improve PAC-SYM and PAC-QOL scores in middle-aged, premenopausal women with constipation in the short term (up to 12 weeks). Keywords: constipation, physical activity, obesity, low-calorie diet, patient assessment quality of life