Daniela Žeželić¹, Slaven Medjimurec¹, Snježana Schuster², Jasna Imgrund¹, Ivana Marčić¹, Mirela Vučković³

¹Clinical Hospital Center Rijeka, Department for Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine; Rijeka, Croatia; Faculty of Health Studies, University of Rijeka, Department of Physiotherapy
²University of Applied Health Sciences; Department of Physiotherapy; Faculty of Kinesiology; University Zagreb; Department of Sports and Exercise Medicine
³Faculty of Health Studies, University of Rijeka, Rijeka, Croatia; Department of Physiotherapy

The Impact of Organized Exercise on the Functional Abilities of Individuals with Obesity

Monten. J. Sports Sci. Med. 2026, 15(1), Ahead of Print | DOI: 10.26773/mjssm.260309

Abstract

The aim of this research was to determine whether there is a difference in the improvement of lung function and reduction in abdominal fat thickness in obese individuals who follow a reduced diet programme and engage in regular organised exercise, compared to those who only follow the diet. This prospective study included 50 obese patients from the Obesity Outpatient Clinic of the Internal Medicine Clinic at Clinical Hospital Center Rijeka. It was conducted from October 2023 to May 2024. All participants followed a reduced diet and were given the option to take part in organised exercise sessions. They were divided into two groups: those who exercised (n=25) and those who did not (n=25). Data on gender, age, weight, height, BMI, waist circumference, abdominal fat thickness, and lung function parameters (FVC, FEV1, VC) were collected at the beginning and end of the intervention. The results showed no statistically significant differences between the two groups in final BMI (p = 0.154), waist circumference (p = 0.382), abdominal fat thickness (p = 0.435), FVC (p = 0.741), FEV1 (p = 0.676), or VC (p = 0.892). However, a statistically significant improvement (p < 0.001) was observed in all measured parameters between the first and second measurement for all participants. There was no confirmed difference between those who exercised and those who did not. Nonetheless, significant improvements were observed in all subjects over time.

Keywords

functional abilities, obesity, organized exercise

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