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Physical Fitness and Body Composition Two Years after Roux-En-Y Gastric Bypass in Adolescents

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Abstract

Background

We have previously shown promising results 2 years after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery, within the Adolescence Morbid Obesity Surgery study (AMOS). The aim of the current study was to describe the 2-year outcome in cardiorespiratory fitness, body composition, and functional capacity in the Stockholm subset of the AMOS study.

Methods

Forty-one adolescents (10 male, 31 female, age 14–18 years, body mass index 35–69 kg·m−2) were included. In addition to anthropometric measurements, participants performed a submaximal bicycle test, 6-min walk test, dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, and a short interview at baseline, 1 and 2 years after surgery.

Results

Relative improvements in maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max) per kilogram body mass (+62 %) and per kilogram fat-free mass (+21 %), as well as walking distance (+13 %) were observed after 1 year, and persisted 2 years after surgery. Despite a reduction of fat-free mass (−15 %), absolute VO2max was maintained across the full group (+8 %, p = ns) and significantly increased in non-smokers. Body mass and fat mass were significantly decreased (−45.4 and −33.3 kg, respectively). Self-reported physical activity was significantly increased, and pain associated with movement was reduced.

Conclusions

In adolescents with obesity, Roux-en-Y gastric bypass improved VO2max more than could be explained by fat mass loss alone. In combination with improved functional capacity and body composition, these results suggest that surgery in adolescence might add specific benefits of importance for future health.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to thank the staff at National Childhood Obesity Center in Stockholm for their collection of data.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology, Division of Paediatrics, Karolinska Institutet, B62, 141 86, Stockholm, Sweden

    Markus Brissman, Kerstin Ekbom, Emilia Hagman & Claude Marcus

  2. Department of Surgery, Sahlgrenska University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden

    Staffan Mårild, Eva Gronowitz & Torsten Olbers

  3. Childhood Obesity Unit, University Hospital, Malmö, Sweden

    Carl-Erik Flodmark

Authors
  1. Markus Brissman
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  2. Kerstin Ekbom
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  3. Emilia Hagman
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  4. Staffan Mårild
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  5. Eva Gronowitz
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  6. Carl-Erik Flodmark
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  7. Torsten Olbers
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  8. Claude Marcus
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Markus Brissman.

Ethics declarations

The AMOS study was ethically approved by the regional ethical review board in Gothenburg (523–04) and conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki.

Grants and Funding

The project has received financial support from the Swedish Research Council, the Swedish Heart and Lung Foundation, the Swedish Order of Freemasons, and HRH Crown Princess Lovisa’s Foundation. Funding organizations had no involvement in the design or conduct of the present study.

Conflict of Interest

Authors declare no conflict of interest to the submitted work. Dr. Olbers reports personal fees and non-financial support from Johnson & Johnson, grants from Johnson & Johnson, outside the submitted work.

Informed Consent

Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

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Brissman, M., Ekbom, K., Hagman, E. et al. Physical Fitness and Body Composition Two Years after Roux-En-Y Gastric Bypass in Adolescents. OBES SURG 27, 330–337 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11695-016-2282-1

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