Research
Mixed
Postoperative exercise training does not significantly affect lean body mass in adults undergoing bariatric surgery.
While exercise training may not significantly increase lean body mass after bariatric surgery, it can still improve muscle strength and function. Focus on building strength and endurance rather than just muscle mass.
GoodRefutesHIGH confidence
No significant effect was found on lean body mass (N = 11).
Why this rating
Meta-analysis of 11 studies with non-significant results.
Source
Effect of exercise training before and after bariatric surgery: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Alice Bellicha et al. · Obesity Reviews · 2021
DOI 10.1111/obr.13296
Meta-analysis · 22 studiesCited 148×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
More from this paper
- Postoperative exercise training in adults undergoing bariatric surgery leads to greater weight loss, increased VO2max, and improved muscle strength compared to usual care without exercise.Good
- Preoperative exercise training may improve walking test distance and body weight in adults undergoing bariatric surgery, but evidence is limited.Limited
Related findings · Mixed
- Bariatric surgery (VSG and RYGB) is the most effective and sustainable treatment for obesity, producing marked and sustained weight loss that non-surgical interventions cannot match.Strong
- Severely protein-deficient diets (2–3% energy) induce lean body mass loss and metabolic imbalance, whereas adequate protein intake (0.66 g/kg/d minimum) is a prerequisite for maintaining muscle, bone, and physiological function.Strong
- For patients with Class III obesity (BMI >39.9 kg/m2), metabolic bariatric surgery (MBS) is significantly more effective than any currently approved medication, with BilioPancreatic Diversion (BPD) showing the highest estimated weight loss.Strong
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