Weight Loss and Physical Activity Reduces Perceived Physical Fatigability Among Older Adults With Obesity
6 affiliations
- 1Department of Epidemiology University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health Pittsburgh Pennsylvania USA
- 2Department of Health and Exercise Sciences Wake Forest University Winston‐Salem North Carolina USA
- 3Department of Psychiatry University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine Pittsburgh Pennsylvania USA
- 4Department of Biostatistics and Health Data Science University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health Pittsburgh Pennsylvania USA
- 5Department of Health and Human Development University of Pittsburgh School of Education Pittsburgh Pennsylvania USA
- 6Department of Internal Medicine, Section on Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine Wake Forest University School of Medicine Winston‐Salem North Carolina USA
Abstract
Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the impact of three lifestyle interventions on perceived physical fatigability.
Methods: Concurrent with a dietary weight loss program (caloric deficit ~400 kcal/day, weekly dietitian support), older adults with obesity (N = 183) were randomized to three groups: aerobic exercise (150–200 min/week of moderate‐intensity treadmill walking; n = 60), daylong movement (improving daily activity distribution, progressively increase steps/day; n = 63), or combination (aerobic and daylong movement interventions; n = 60). Perceived physical fatigability (Pittsburgh Fatigability Scale [PFS] Physical score, range 0–50, and Rating of Perceived Exertion [RPE] after a 5‐min 0% grade treadmill walk, range 6–20; higher = greater fatigability) was measured at baseline, 6 months (post‐intensive intervention), and 18 months (end of maintenance period).
Results: Participants (69.6 ± 4.3 years, 77% female, 74% White, 35.6 ± 3.8 kg/m2 BMI) had a PFS Physical score 20.6 ± 7.6 and RPE Fatigability 9.6 ± 1.9 at baseline. Clinically relevant improvements were observed in PFS score from baseline to 6 months (−4.4 points, p = 0.002) and were largely maintained at 18 months (−3.0 points, p = 0.03) after adjustment for baseline age, sex, education, intervention group, and time × intervention group (p = 0.83). RPE Fatigability did not improve (p > 0.05).
Conclusions: Multiple physical activity strategies in conjunction with weight loss improved perceived physical fatigability over time among older adults with obesity.
Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02923674
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BibTeX
@article{garcia2026weight,
title = {{Weight Loss and Physical Activity Reduces Perceived Physical Fatigability Among Older Adults With Obesity}},
author = {Reagan E. Garcia and Jason Fanning and Chaeryon Kang and Bonny Rockette‐Wagner and Christopher E. Kline and Barbara J. Nicklas and Nancy W. Glynn},
journal = {Obesity (Silver Spring, Md.)},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.1002/oby.70298},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1002/oby.70298},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Weight Loss and Physical Activity Reduces Perceived Physical Fatigability Among Older Adults With Obesity
AU - Reagan E. Garcia
AU - Jason Fanning
AU - Chaeryon Kang
AU - Bonny Rockette‐Wagner
AU - Christopher E. Kline
AU - Barbara J. Nicklas
AU - Nancy W. Glynn
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/09
JO - Obesity (Silver Spring, Md.)
DO - 10.1002/oby.70298
UR - https://doi.org/10.1002/oby.70298
AB - Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the impact of three lifestyle interventions on perceived physical fatigability. Methods: Concurrent with a dietary weight loss program (caloric deficit ~400 kcal/day, weekly dietitian support), older adults with obesity (N = 183) were randomized to three groups: aerobic exercise (150–200 min/week of moderate‐intensity treadmill walking; n = 60), daylong movement (improving daily activity distribution, progressively increase steps/day; n = 63), or combination (aerobic and daylong movement interventions; n = 60). Perceived physical fatigability (Pittsburgh Fatigability Scale [PFS] Physical score, range 0–50, and Rating of Perceived Exertion [RPE] after a 5‐min 0% grade treadmill walk, range 6–20; higher = greater fatigability) was measured at baseline, 6 months (post‐intensive intervention), and 18 months (end of maintenance period). Results: Participants (69.6 ± 4.3 years, 77% female, 74% White, 35.6 ± 3.8 kg/m2 BMI) had a PFS Physical score 20.6 ± 7.6 and RPE Fatigability 9.6 ± 1.9 at baseline. Clinically relevant improvements were observed in PFS score from baseline to 6 months (−4.4 points, p = 0.002) and were largely maintained at 18 months (−3.0 points, p = 0.03) after adjustment for baseline age, sex, education, intervention group, and time × intervention group (p = 0.83). RPE Fatigability did not improve (p > 0.05). Conclusions: Multiple physical activity strategies in conjunction with weight loss improved perceived physical fatigability over time among older adults with obesity. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02923674
SN - 1930-7381
SN - 1930-739X
ER -