Relationship between BMI, physical activity and daytime activity levels during a week of a spa stay

Obesity has become a worldwide issue that can exacerbate some ageing-related comorbidities. Physical activity (PA) can counteract weight gain and obesity [1]. Th e thermal environment, including facilities and treatments, have been described as increasing PA [2], [3]. Th e current study aims to assess the PA levels in relation to diff erent BMI categories during a week of spa stay. 137 participants (males=35.8%; 64.3±10.5yrs) staying one week at GB-Hotels (Abano Terme, Italy) and undergoing spa treatments fi lled in the Godin-Shepard Leisure- Time Physical Activity Questionnaire (GSL-TPAQ; LSI – as measure unit) both at the beginning and the end of the spa stay in order to evaluate the PA of the previous week and during the spa stay. Actigraph Motion Watch 8 (CamNtech) monitored daytime activity all week long. One-way ANOVA analyses among BMI categories were adjusted for age and sex. FORST funded the current study. BMI values classifi ed particpants as normal weight (NW: 50.4%), overweight (OW: 35%), and obese (OB: 14.6%). NW participants collected the highest GSLTPAQ score either the week before (NW=31.1±21.9 LSI; OW=25.7±23.4 LSI; OB=20.5±17.5 LSI), even though without statistical signifi cance (p=0.08), or during the week of the spa stay (NW=44.3±33.1 LSI; OW=36.6±24.4 LSI; OB=27.6±15.9 LSI; p=0.04), with only a tendency to statistical signifi cance between NW and OB in the Bonferroni post-hoc test (p=0.06). GSL-TPAQ delta values were higher in NW than in the other two BMI categories, although they did not reach statistical signifi - cance (NW=13.1±7.3 LSI; OW=11±6.6 LSI; OB=7.1±4.7 LSI; p=0.8). Thus, NW seemed to increment the PA more during the spa stay. Th e actigraphic data analysis showed a higher percentage of daytime activity in NW compared to the other two BMI classifications (NW=43±7.6%; OW=40.6±9%; OB=38.5±8.4%) even though without statistical signifi cance (p=0.8). With a view to promoting an active lifestyle and increasing PA, it seems that a week of spa stay can be eff ective. Th e data showed that NW subjects seemed to have more signifi cant benefi ts from the spa stay to improve PA and, in general, their active lifestyle, compared to the other two BMI categories. Th e leisure-time PA could be favoured by the facilities off ered by the resorts, free time, and a greater predisposition to being active during the spa stay.