Abstract

Introduction: in Chile, a high prevalence of women presents morbid obesity, this condition generates serious medical complications and high costs for public health. Objective: to determine the effects of a total treatment program consisting of physical exercise, psychological therapy and nutrition education on the preoperative conditions of obese women candidates for bariatric surgery. Material and methods: nineteen women between the ages of 30 and 55 applicants to bariatric surgery, with morbid obesity (n=6) or obesity and comorbidities (n=13), underwent a program of comprehensive treatment of sixteen weeks duration (3 session/week). Before and 72 hours after the last intervention session was evaluated on fasting (>= 12 hours): body weight, body mass index (BMI), percentage of body fat (% BF), contour waist (CW) and basal blood glucose. Cardiorespiratory fitness was also estimated. Results: the average age was 40.32 years, post-sixteen weeks of comprehensive treatment study variables improved significantly (p0.05) and presented the following decreases; the body weight 6.49% (p=0.000), BMI 6.48% (p=0.000), the CW 6.23% (p=0.000), the % BF 9.09% (p=0.001), glycemia 10.19% (p=0.002). The cardiorespiratory capacity increased 21.61% (p=0.010). Conclusions: the treatment improved the preoperative conditions of the patients and increased his cardio capacity, which allows to conclude that the program is beneficial and optimal to reduce the levels of morbidity and mortality in candidates for bariatric surgery.