PHYSICAL-FUNCTIONAL ASSESSMENT METHODS IN OBESE ADULTS: AN INTEGRATIVE REVIEW

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: The assessment of obesity is an important precursor to measuring the risk of mortality from cardiovascular complications and physical-functional limitations. OBJECTIVE: to identify in the literature the functional assessment methods for obese people related to muscle strength, cardiorespiratory capacity, balance and quality of life and sleep. METHODS: integrative review of the last five years, including cohort and cross-sectional studies, obese grades I to III, indexed in PubMed and Virtual Health Library databases. The search was performed with a combination of the following descriptors: cardiorespiratory fitness, postural balance, muscle strength, quality of life, dyssomnias. Two independent reviewers analyzed the methodological quality of the studies by Newcastle-Ottawa Scale and Prisma. RESULTS/DISCUSSION: Seven studies were included. Two-minute step, treadmill incremental and six-minute walk tests assess cardiorespiratory capacity. For balance evaluation, the use of platforms and the stability limit tests and timed up and go. And, for muscle strength, dynamometry and the tests of sitting and standing five times and one repetition maximum. Tests for obese individuals, regardless of the degree of obesity, do not differ from those applied to eutrophic individuals.CONCLUSION: A quick clinical practice guide with effective functional tests for obese is presented.