Do Text Message Reminders Increase Preoperative Exercise in Obesity Surgery Candidates?

University of Auckland, New Zealand102 enrolled

Overview

Preoperative exercise has been shown to improve physiological and functional capacity in patients undergoing abdominal surgery to prepare them for the stress of surgery. Patients undergoing bariatric surgery are advised to partake in regular preoperative exercise. In the setting of bariatric surgery, as well as preparing patients for the stress of surgery, it is also thought to increase the likelihood that they will exercise postoperatively. However, compliance to this advice is extremely low. Text-message interventions have been shown to improve compliance to other lifestyle interventions. The investigators will compare the rate of compliance to preoperative exercise prior to bariatric surgery in patients who receive a daily text message to those who do not. The investigators will also compare weight loss.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

NONE

Enrollment

102

Conditions

Perioperative Care Bariatric Surgery Obesity

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 20 YearsMax age: 60 Years

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * Patients having laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy at Manukau Surgery Centre * Operation used primarily for the treatment of morbid obesity Exclusion Criteria: * Operation not performed at Manukau Surgery Centre * Patient does not have a mobile phone which can receive text messages

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Proportion of patients partaking in the minimum recommended amount of weekly physical activity

\>450 METmins per week of physical activity as measured by the internationally and locally validated IPAQ questionnaire.

Time frame: 6 weeks post recruitment

Secondary Outcomes

Postoperative Physical Activity

Quantity of physical acitivty will be measured as METmins per week as measured by the IPAQ questionnaire

Time frame: 6 weeks postoperatively

Functional capacity

Measured using the 6 minute walk test

Time frame: Baseline and 6 weeks post recuitment (preoperatively)

Length of Hospital Stay

Total number of days spent in hospital following their operation

Time frame: As assessed at day of discharge

Short term weight loss

Postoperative weight loss as measured by percentage of excess weight loss

Time frame: Out to 6 months postoperatively

Perioperative complications

Prospectively recorded postoperative complications graded according the Clavien-Dindo classification system

Time frame: Out to 30 days postoperatively