Are position changes effective in reducing obesity in fibromyalgia people

Abstract: Statement of the Problem: Fibromyalgia patients who are overweight or obese often have sedentary behaviors. This leads to an increase in the body mass index and worsening of the symptoms associated with fibromyalgia. Nowadays, the negative health effects of sitting are well known, such as type II diabetes, obesity and even some types of cancer. The objective of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of a position-change intervention for obese people with fibromyalgia. A total of 86 obese or overweight women with fibromyalgia participated. Activities were quantified: sitting time, number of position changes (sitting / standing), number of steps and metabolic output during one week using the activPAL device. In addition, anthropometric measurements, clinical and biochemical variables were taken. Results: Of the sedentary activities studied, only a higher number of position changes is associated with a lower body mass index (p = 0.032) and a lower tricipital fold (p = 0.003). Conclusion & Significance: This study highlights the beneficial effects of increased positional changes in sedentary overweight or obese people with fibromyalgia that may be incorporated into interventions to decrease body mass index in these patients.