Digestive problems stop overweight people from exercising

Reported by Susan Aldridge, PhD, medical journalist

There is an interesting link between overweight, physical activity and digestive problems.
Regular physical exercise can help people keep to a healthy weight. However, doctors at the University of Washington now reveal that an issue that stops overweight people taking exercise. They questioned nearly 1,000 people and found that many suffered from digestive problems and tha these are seen as a barrier to exercise.

In this group, 19 per cent said they had abdominal pain, 13 per cent had irritable bowel syndrome, 25 per cent had diarrhea and 20 per cent had bloating. The more excess weight the individual had, the more likely they were to have a digestive issue.

But decreasing dietary fat and increasing fiber, as well as taking more exercise tended to decrease digestive symptoms. So overweight and obese people should be encouraged – they will find relief from digestive troubles if they make an effort to overcome this barrier to exercise.

Source
Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology December 2005

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