Key Highlights:
- Doing just 30 minutes of aerobic exercise each week can help you lose a little weight, shrink your waistline, and reduce body fat if you are overweight or obese.
- Exercising for more than 150 minutes per week at a moderate or high intensity can lead to more noticeable reductions in waist size and body fat.
- The study found that the more you exercise, the more likely you are to lose weight. In other words, more exercise equals greater benefits.
- Aerobic exercise not only benefits weight management but also improves physical and mental aspects of quality of life.
- The research found that exercise was linked to a small rise in minor to moderate health issues, mainly related to muscle and joint pain.
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Regular aerobic exercise has long been considered essential for managing healthy weight and improving mental and physical well-being.
Aerobic exercise has been shown to have many health benefits, including reducing the risk of long-term diseases, improving heart health, and helping control blood sugar levels.
In a study from 2024, researchers found that this exercise was capable of improving neurocognitive functions in post-menopausal women.
Although the benefits of aerobic exercise are well-known, there are still ongoing discussions among experts about how much exercise is needed to achieve significant weight loss.
Many people and healthcare professionals rely on general guidelines for exercise and weight loss, which may not be based on the full picture.
Larger platforms like the World Health Organization and the American Heart Association suggest doing at least 150-300 minutes of moderate exercise per week to stay healthy.
However, the exact amount of exercise needed to lose weight, especially for adults who are overweight or obese, is still not well understood.
A new meta-analysis published in JAMA Network Open provides a better understanding of the relationship between exercise and weight loss.
Authors say that:
Engaging in 30 minutes of weekly aerobic exercise provides modest benefits for weight, waist, and fat reduction in adults with overweight or obesity, while over 150 minutes per week at moderate or higher intensity is likely required for significant improvements.
Methodology and analysis
The study evaluated the effects of supervised aerobic training on adults with overweight or obesity through a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Data sources included PubMed, Scopus, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and gray literature like ProQuest and ClinicalTrials.gov, covering studies from their start to April 30, 2024.
Randomized clinical trials lasting at least 8 weeks were included, focusing on aerobic exercise interventions.
The research followed PRISMA guidelines to provide clear and detailed reporting. There were two separate teams, each with two reviewers, and they worked independently to gather data which reduced the chances of bias.
To analyze the effects of aerobic exercise, the study used a method called random-effects meta-analysis which helped with calculating average differences and 95% confidence intervals.
It also looked at the patterns of how the amount of exercise relates to the results, using dose-response analysis.
The primary outcomes that were assessed included measures of body weight, waist circumference, body fat, adverse events, medication use, and quality of life.
The certainty of the evidence was evaluated using the GRADE tool, which categorizes the quality of evidence from very low to high.
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Interesting findings and additional information
The meta-analysis combined data from 116 clinical trials that involved more than 6800 people who were overweight or obese.
For each additional 30 minutes of aerobic exercise done weekly, people typically lost:
- About half of a kilogram (0.52kg) of body weight.
- Half of a centimeter (0.56cm) from their waistline.
- Almost four-tenth of a percent (0.37%) of their body fat.
- Visceral fat (fat around organs) decreased by 1.6 cm².
- Subcutaneous fat (fat under the skin) decreased by 1.37 cm².
- Regular aerobic exercise had a positive impact on both physical and mental health, with small and noticeable improvements.
Side effects:
- Aerobic exercise slightly increases the risk of minor side effects, such as muscle or joint pain, but only by a small amount (about two extra cases per 100 people).
Optimal duration:
- Weight loss and body fat reduction improved steadily with more exercise, up to 300 minutes/week.
- Significant improvements were seen with 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise per week.
Furthermore, the study found that as exercise time increased, up to 300 minutes per week. Weight loss, reduction in waist size, and body fat also became greater.
Notably, the researchers observed that exceeding 150 minutes of weekly exercise at moderate to vigorous intensity appeared to be a tipping point for achieving clinically significant reductions in waist circumference and body fat percentage.
The study’s main focus was on weight management; it also uncovered positive effects on overall quality of life.
Regular aerobic exercise was linked to small but notable enhancements in both physical and mental components of health-related quality of life.
The study also revealed a minor increase in mild to moderate adverse events related to musculoskeletal issues. This shows how important it is to start slowly and increase exercise intensity and duration gradually.
Conclusion
The research showed how aerobic exercise and its impact on weight loss in adults with overweight or obesity.
The study revealed that even a small amount of exercise, as minimal as 30 minutes per week, can yield modest yet significant improvements in body weight, waist circumference, and body fat.
For those individuals who are striving for more substantial weight loss and reduction in belly fat, exceeding 150 minutes of moderate-intensity or vigorous aerobic exercise per week may yield better results.
The best way to see results is to make exercise a regular habit. Instead of pushing yourself too hard one day and then taking a few days off, aim to move your body every day.
And don’t forget to check in with your doctor before starting any new exercise program. It is especially important if you have any health concerns.
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