ABSTRACT
The bariatric team has many responsibilities for ensuring success among their patients, including promoting healthy behaviors. Given the health benefits of physical activity (PA), ideally, all bariatric teams at comprehensive surgical centers would include a fitness specialist to provide PA counseling and support. However, until medical insurance companies provide financial reimbursement for PA counseling, many surgical centers will rely on team members without expertise in fitness to provide PA counseling, or refer patients out of practice. This chapter seeks to help the nonfitness specialist or the nonbariatrician by reviewing (1) the health benefits of and guidelines for PA, (2) PA participation of pre- and postsurgical patients, and (3) elements of effective PA counseling. First some key terms and concepts are reviewed.
