Aims: To investigate the correlations between meeting the muscle-strengthening activities guideline, body fat %, and mortality for individuals living with obesity and to explore if these correlations are moderated by sex.
Methods: Data from 3915 adults (51.9% women; 48.1% men) living with obesity (body fat % ≥25 for men and ≥35 for women) from two cycles of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES 2003-04/2005-06) were analyzed. Muscle-strengthening activities were self-reported via a questionnaire, body fat % was measured via Dual Energy X-ray, and mortality was obtained via administrative data for an average of 10 years.
Results: 18.7% of men and 15.2% of women living with obesity met the muscle-strengthening activities guideline (p = 0.021). Sex was correlated with body fat %; (β (SE)= 11.34 (0.18); p ≤ 0.001) and risk of mortality (hazard ratio (95% confidence interval) = 0.36 (0.24-0.54); p ≤ 0.001), once adjusted for confounders (weekly aerobic activities, ethnicity, education, household income, smoking, and the sum of chronic conditions). The interaction between sex and meeting the muscle-strengthening activities guideline was not significantly correlated with the studied outcomes.
Conclusion: Performing muscle-strengthening activities a minimum of two times per week does not impact body fat % or risk of mortality (over 10 years) differently in men or women living with obesity.
Keywords: gender; obese; resistance training; strength training.
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