Real Life Changes in Physical Activity Due to Intragastric Balloon Therapy and Their Relationship to Improving Cognitive Functions: Preliminary Findings

BACKGROUND: We evaluated if the intragastric balloon (IGB) treatment leads to the increase in physical activity (PA) and whether they are related to cognitive improvements. METHODS: Fourteen morbidly obese patients (151 ± 24 kg, BMI = 51.8 ± 6.5, 107 ± 26% excess weight, 43.3 ± 10.6 years) underwent 6-day-long, uninterrupted evaluations of PA 1 month before IGB insertion and 1 month after its removal. RESULTS: Active energy expenditure and physical activity duration increased by more than 80% (p < 0.001) whereas the number of steps per day by 20% (p = 0.016). There was a pattern of relationships between cognitive improvements and increases in PA (p < 0.05). In particular, working memory improvements correlated with the increase in time spent on light physical activities (r = 0.673, p = 0.004). CONCLUSION: The relationships suggest that an increase in physical activity mediates cognitive improvements in bariatric patients.