Can Metabolic Thresholds be used as Exercise Intensity Markers in Adult men with Obesity?

Abstract The first aim of the study was to identify the exercise intensity eliciting the highest (FAT max ) and the lowest (FAT min ) fat oxidation rate in men with obesity. The second aim was to evaluate if FAT max and FAT min correlate with aerobic (AeT) and anaerobic (AnT) thresholds, which in turn could be used as exercise intensity markers. Nineteen adult sedentary men participated in the study. Breath-by-breath analysis was performed throughout the test to assess maximal oxygen consumption (VO 2max ) with stoichiometric equations used to calculate fat oxidation rate. Pearson correlation coefficient ( r ), coefficient of determination ( R 2 ) and paired t-test were used to evaluate differences between VO 2 at AeT and at FAT max and VO 2 at AnT and at FAT min , respectively. FAT max and AeT occurred at 42.80 ± 2.68 % of VO 2max and 43.02 ± 2.73 % of VO 2max , while FAT min and AnT occurred at 53.40 ± 3.65 % of VO 2max and 53.38 ± 3.65 % of VO 2max , respectively. A high correlations were found between VO 2 at FAT max and at AeT ( r = 0.86, p < 0.01) and VO 2 at FAT min and at AnT ( r = 0.99, p < 0.01). The existing correlations suggest that metabolic thresholds may be used as exercise intensity markers in men with obesity.