Obesity is a progressively increasing health problem worldwide. This study was planned to investigate the pulmonary function tests, respiratory muscle strength and endurance of subjects suffering from obesity, and the effect of different categories of obesity on these parameters. Fifty-one subjects suffering from obesity (41 women, 10 men) aged 42.78 +/- 10.8 and forty-four healthy subjects whose BMI were under 25kg/m(2) formed the control group. All subjects' pulmonary function tests, respiratory muscle strength and endurance measurements, abdominal muscle strength, chest expansion measurements, and lipid profiles were recorded. We determined that subjects suffering from obesity have reduced respiratory muscle endurance and maximum inspiratory strength. According to this result, we can suggest that respiratory muscle training programs can be useful in obesity exercise programs.