Can Metabolic Thresholds be used as Exercise Intensity Markers in Adult men with Obesity?

Abstract

The first aim of the study was to identify the exercise intensity eliciting the highest (FATmax) and the lowest (FATmin) fat oxidation rate in men with obesity. The second aim was to evaluate if FATmax and FATmin correlate with aerobic (AeT) and anaerobic (AnT) thresholds, which in turn could be used as exercise intensity markers. Nineteen adult sedentary men participated in the study. Breath-by-breath analysis was performed throughout the test to assess maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max) with stoichiometric equations used to calculate fat oxidation rate. Pearson correlation coefficient (r), coefficient of determination (R2) and paired t-test were used to evaluate differences between VO2 at AeT and at FATmax and VO2 at AnT and at FATmin, respectively. FATmax and AeT occurred at 42.80 {+/-} 2.68 % of VO2max and 43.02 {+/-} 2.73 % of VO2max, while FATmin and AnT occurred at 53.40 {+/-} 3.65 % of VO2max and 53.38 {+/-} 3.65 % of VO2max, respectively. A high correlations were found between VO2 at FATmax and at AeT (r = 0.86, p < 0.01) and VO2 at FATmin and at AnT (r = 0.99, p < 0.01). The existing correlations suggest that metabolic thresholds may be used as exercise intensity markers in men with obesity.