Supervised Exercise Immediately After Bariatric Surgery: the Study Protocol of the EFIBAR Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND:Previous studies have investigated weight loss caused by exercise following bariatric surgery. However, in most cases, the training program is poorly reported; the exercise type, volume, and intensity are briefly mentioned; and the sample size, selection criteria, and follow-up time vary greatly across studies. PURPOSE:The EFIBAR study aims to investigate over 1 year the effects of a 16-week supervised exercise program, initiated immediately after bariatric surgery, on weight loss (primary outcome), body composition, cardiometabolic risk, physical fitness, and quality of life in patients with severe/extreme obesity. MATERIAL AND METHODS:The EFIBAR study is a parallel-group, superiority, randomized controlled trial (RCT), comprising 80 surgery patients. Half of the participants, randomly selected, perform a 16-week supervised exercise program, including both strength and aerobic training, starting immediately after the surgery (7-14 days). For each participant, all primary and secondary outcomes are measured at three different time points: (i) before the surgery, (ii) after the intervention (≈4 months), and (iii) 1 year after the surgery. CONCLUSION:The EFIBAR study will provide new insights into the multidimensional benefits of exercise in adults with severe/extreme obesity following bariatric surgery. TRIAL REGISTRATION:EFIBAR randomized controlled trial was prospectively registered at Clinicaltrials.gov (NCT03497546) on April 13, 2018.