Effects of an Intensive Inpatient Rehabilitation Program in Elderly Patients with Obesity

Obes Facts. 2019;12(2):199-210. doi: 10.1159/000497461. Epub 2019 Mar 29.

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the short-term effectiveness of an intensive inpatient multidimensional rehabilitation program (MRP), including diet, exercise, and behavioral therapy, in elderly patients with severe obesity.

Methods: Forty-four elderly patients (old; age 69.3 ± 3.5 years, BMI 41.9 ± 14.9) were analyzed against 215 younger patients (young; age 48.2 ± 18.5 years, BMI 43.9 ± 9.4), who were used as controls. All patients underwent MRP, based on group therapy guided by a multidisciplinary team (physicians, dietitians, exercise trainers, psychologists). We evaluated changes in anthropometry, cardiovascular risk factors, physical fitness, quality of life, and eating behavior.

Results: After 3 weeks of MRP, we observed a reduction in body weight (old -3.8%, young -4.3%), BMI (old -3.9%, young -4.4%), waist circumference (old -3.4%, young -4.1%), total cholesterol (old -14.0%, young -15.0%), and fasting glucose (old -8.3%, young -8.1%), as well as improved performance in the Six-Minute-Walk Test (old +28.7%, young +15.3%), chair-stand test (old +24.8%, young +26.9%), and arm-curl test (old +15.2%, young +27.3%). Significant improvement was registered in all other analyzed domains.

Conclusion: Our 3-week MRP provided significant clinical and functional improvement, which was similar between elderly and younger patients with severe obesity. In the long-term, this may be translated into better quality of life, through better management of obesity-associated morbidities and reduced frailty.

Keywords: Ageing; Multidimensional management; Nutrition; Obesity; Physical activity; Rehabilitation.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Age Factors
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Behavior Therapy
  • Diet Therapy
  • Exercise / physiology
  • Female
  • Health Services for the Aged* / organization & administration
  • Hospitals, Rehabilitation* / methods
  • Hospitals, Rehabilitation* / organization & administration
  • Humans
  • Inpatients
  • Interdisciplinary Communication
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Obesity / epidemiology
  • Obesity / rehabilitation*
  • Obesity Management / methods*
  • Obesity Management / organization & administration
  • Obesity, Morbid / epidemiology
  • Obesity, Morbid / rehabilitation
  • Patient Care Team
  • Physical Fitness / physiology
  • Quality of Life
  • Treatment Outcome