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.