The Muscle Strength and Size Response to Upper Arm, Unilateral Resistance Training Among Adults Who Are Overweight and Obese

Abstract

Overweight and obesity result in musculoskeletal impairments that limit exercise capacity. We examined if the muscle strength and size response to resistance training (RT) differed among 687 young (mean +/- SEM, 24.2 +/- 0.2 years) overweight and obese (OW) compared to normal weight (NW) adults as denoted by the body mass index (BMI). Subjects were 449 NW (22.0 +/- 0.1 kg.m(-2), 23.4 +/- 0.3 years) and 238 OW (29.2 +/- 0.2 kg.m(-2), 25.6 +/- 0.4 years) men (n = 285) and women (n = 402) who underwent 12 weeks (2 d.wk(-1)) of RT of the nondominant arm. Maximum voluntary contraction (MVC) and 1 repetition maximum (1RM) assessed peak elbow flexor strength. Magnetic resonance imaging measured the biceps muscle cross sectional area (CSA). Multiple dependent variable analysis of covariance tested if muscle strength and size differed among BMI groups pre-, post-, and pre-to-post-RT. Overweight and obese had greater MVC, 1RM, and CSA than NW pre- and post-RT (p < 0.001). Maximum voluntary contraction and 1RM gains were not different between BMI groups pre- to post-RT (p >or= 0.05). When adjusted for baseline values, NW had greater relative MVC (21.2 +/- 1.0 vs. 17.4 +/- 1.4%) and 1RM (54.3 +/- 1.5 vs. 49.0 +/- 2.0%) increases than OW (p < 0.05). Normal weight also had greater allometric MVC (0.48 +/- 0.02 kg.kg(-0.67) vs. 0.40 +/- 0.03 kg.kg(-0.67)) and 1RM (0.25 +/- 0.00 vs. 0.22 +/- 0.01 kg.kg(-0.67)) gains than OW (p < 0.05). CSA gains were greater among OW than NW (3.6 +/- 0.2 vs. 3.2 +/- 0.1 cm(2)) (p < 0.001); however, relative CSA increases were not different between BMI groups (19.4 +/- 0.5 vs. 18.4 +/- 0.7%) (p >or= 0.05). Despite similar relative muscle size increases, relative and allometic strength gains were less among OW than NW. These findings indicate the short-term relative and allometric muscle strength response to RT may be attenuated among adults who are overweight and obese.

Physical Fitness in Morbidly Obese Patients: Effect of Gastric Bypass Surgery and Exercise Training

“…It is known that obese patients have higher absolute muscle strength compared to lean subjects, but they have lower relative muscle strength (in terms of total body weight) [19,[39][40][41]. The latter gives the patients an impaired functional capacity, meaning that more strength is necessary to handle their heavier body.…”

Effects of resistance training with and without caloric restriction on physical function and mobility in overweight and obese older adults: a randomized controlled trial

“…For example, young adults with higher BMI and greater SAT surrounding the bicep exhibited an attenuated gain in bicep strength with RT, despite a similar relative increase in muscle size as in those who were normal weight or had less SAT (19,20). A recent study in older adults showed that the quality of knee extensor muscle in response to a combined RT, endurance, and balance training intervention only improved in subjects with low thigh IMAT at baseline (21).…”

Correlation between Mid Upper Arm Muscle Area/Size and Muscle Strength

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“…Homosexual men are considered more susceptible to be infected by HIV because of HIV-1 tropism in large intestine endothelial cells, low condom usage, and high promiscuity which make the odds of being infected by HIV 18.7 times higher compared with those in heteronormative adult population in Asia. 1,[4][5][6][7][8] With the lowest estimation of 2.2% proportion from the total male population, men who have sex with men (MSM) is HIV-transmitting niche that is quite big. 9 In Indonesia, for instance, HIV/AIDS is positive in around 2.1 % MSM in Bandung, 5.6% in Surabaya, and 8.1 % in Jakarta.…”