Telemedical assessment of the level of energy expenditure in overweight and obese individuals.

INTRODUCTION: Increasing the energy expenditure above the elementary level of metabolism by undertaking regular physical activity causes body mass reduction and its maintenance at a healthy level.

AIM: To remote assessment of the level of physical activity in a group of overweight and obese individuals.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: The research was conducted in the Department of Rehabilitation at the Institute of Rural Health, Lublin, Poland, and included a group of 514 volunteers of both genders (38 ±12 years). The examined group was divided into three subgroups depending on the body mass index (BMI) level (I - normal, II - overweight, III - obese). The level of physical activity at home was assessed based of the short version of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), conducted by means of a mobile application, and was compared with data registered by the accelerometer of a smartphone.

RESULTS: The IPAQ-assessed level of the physical activity expressed in MET-min/week amounted to the following values: group I: 5190.38 ±6629.84, group II: 5099.53 ±6380.97, group III: 3939.31 ±4000.73; and the caloric cost (cal × week(-1)) amounted to: group I: 5825.47 ±7512.99, group II: 7204.09 ±9187.96), and group III: 7002.10 ±7296.22. Registered levels of physical activity (MET-min/week) were lower than IPAQ-assessed: in group I (3741.24 ±3958.29), in group II (2447.72 ±2156.44) and in group III (1927.42 ±1790.85) (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS: The average values of energy expenditure showed a declining tendency, together with an increase in the BMI. On the other hand, the total weekly caloric cost showed the lowest average values in the group with normal body mass.