Our study demonstrated the practical feasibility of cardiac coherence biofeedback training in CAD patients. Further research is desirable to investigate the potential benefit of cardiac coherence biofeedback as an adjunct to stress management in cardiac rehabilitation.

Rationale Bariatric surgery has a considerable positive effect on weight loss and on metabolic and cardiovascular risks. It has therefore been extensively used this last decade to overcome obesity. However, the impact of this surgery on exercise capacity remains unclear. The aim of this study is to clarify the impact of a surgically induced weight loss on aerobic exercise capacity (VO 2 max) in a specific middle-aged female population. Methods Forty-two women with a body mass index > 40 kg/m 2 (age, 42 ± 13 years; weight, 117 ± 15 kg) underwent blood analyses and a cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET) before and 1 year after bariatric surgery. CPET was performed on a cycloergometer. The first ventilatory threshold (VT1) was measured according to the V-slope method. Results Absolute VO 2 max was reduced by 10% after surgery (2.0 ± 0.4 vs 1.8 ± 0.4 l/min, p < 0.01) or increased when corrected for body weight (18 ± 4 vs 23 ± 4 l/min/kg, p < 0.001) or unchanged when expressed as percentage of predicted values (111 ± 21 vs 105 ± 22, p = 0.06). Weight loss did not affect ventilatory or chronotropic response but increased maximal respiratory exchange ratio (RER) (p < 0.001), decreased maximal O 2 pulse (p < 0.05) and VT1 in milliliters per minute (p < 0.01). By multivariable analysis, decreased absolute VO 2 max after weight loss was associated with increased maximal RER and reduced maximal O 2 pulse (p < 0.05, p < 0.01 respectively), possibly related to a muscular mass limitation. Conclusions Weight loss induced by bariatric surgery may reduce aerobic capacity in women in relation to muscle mass loss.

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Summary Patients with obesity experience difficulties in executing household activities. Our purpose was to compare the energy expenditure and exercise intensity of daily household activities and cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) in women with obesity and normal weight women. Twenty‐eight non‐obese women (NO, 44.6 ± 7.2 years; body mass index [BMI] 22.1 ± 1.7 kg m−2) and 20 women with obesity (OB, 44.0 ± 7.7 years; BMI 33.4 ± 2.7 kg.m−2). Peak oxygen uptake (⩒O2peak), maximal heart rate (HR) and maximal cycling power output were measured during a maximal incremental cycling test to assess CRF. Oxygen uptake (⩒O2) used to assess CRF was measured during a standardized protocol that included ironing, cleaning floor and walking and climbing stairs. The intensity of the three household activities was expressed by the ratio between ⩒O2 during household activity (⩒O2‐activity) and resting ⩒O2, and between ⩒O2 during household activity and ⩒O2peak. ⩒O2 peak was higher in OB (1845.2 ± 290.5 mL min−1) than in NO women (1612.6 ± 250.9 mL min−1, P < 0.01). There were no significant differences for the ratio between ⩒O2‐activity and resting ⩒O2 between NO and OB women for any of the three household activities. No differences were observed either between the two groups for the ratio of ⩒O2‐activity to ⩒O2peak. In healthy women with obesity and normal CRF, physical activity (PA) may not be affected by energy need and intensity of household activities. In this way, these women can be motivated to maintain a high PA level contributing to lessen the cardiovascular risk.

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