Diet seems to be the most effective way to lose weight. Is it also the healthiest solution? It turns out that exercise is more important than losing weight for better health and a longer life.
- Dr. Gaesser’s research on the effects of physical activity on human body composition and metabolism presented conflicting conclusions, prompting the scientist to further analyze
- The authors of the review selected over 200 meta-analyzes and individual studies that provided them with the necessary information
- The analysis shows that at the beginning of exercise in people leading a sedentary lifestyle, the risk of premature death drops by over 30%.
- The researchers point out, however, that the new review was not intended to pinpoint exactly how exercise or weight loss affects longevity in people with obesity
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When we start an active lifestyle, we often expect results too quickly. We also tend to reward our efforts with our favorite treats. However, exercise itself burns too few calories to effectively help us lose weight. American scientists, however, decided to analyze the impact of physical activity on the health of people struggling with a chronic disease such as obesity. According to a study published in September 2021 in iScience, obese people’s risk of heart disease and premature death can be reduced more effectively by improving their physical condition than weight loss or diet. Below we present the results of the analysis carried out by the scientists.
Further part below the video.
Analysis of existing research
Glenn Gaesser, a professor at Arizona State University in Phoenix, has spent decades studying the effects of physical activity on human body composition and metabolism, as well as endurance, with a special focus on obese people. However, it can be said that some of his research to date are actually mutually exclusive.
For example, in a 2015 experiment, 81 overweight women with a sedentary lifestyle were examined. The women were supposed to change their current habits in favor of regular walking – three times a week for 30 minutes. After 12 weeks, a few of them lost small amounts of body fat, but as many as 55 of them gained weight.
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Other studies conducted by Dr. Gaesser’s laboratory, however, show significant improvements in health in people who entered an active lifestyle, whether they were losing weight or not. It’s also worth noting that these studies looked at overweight and obese people with serious health problems, including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or insulin resistance.
The analysis of these results prompted Dr. Gaesser to further consider the impact of physical activity on the quality of human life. The researcher began to wonder if fitness could enable overweight people to enjoy good metabolic health regardless of their body weight and potentially increase their life expectancy.
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Latest study
Dr. Gaesser together with prof. Together, Siddharthem Angadim began searching databases for results related to diet, exercise, fitness, metabolic health, and longevity. Scientists were particularly interested in meta-analyzes that collect and analyze data from many studies to date. This information allowed the researchers to look at the results of far more people than individual weight loss or exercise studies, most of which are done on a small group of subjects.
Ultimately, they selected over 200 corresponding meta-analyzes and individual studies. These publications included tens of thousands of women and men, most of whom were obese.
Conclusions from the conducted analysis
Researchers also asked themselves about the life expectancy of obese people. Namely – can obese people live as long as slim people or even longer if slim people are not in shape? Their analysis shows that sedentary obese men and women, when introduced to regular exercise, can improve their fitness and reduce the risk of premature death by up to 30 percent or more. Improving their condition puts these people in a better position compared to lean people who are not physically active.
Comparing head-to-head, the benefits were far greater from improving fitness than from losing weight
– Dr. Gaesser told The New York Times
However, some of the studies cited in the review state that losing weight among obese people does not reduce the risk of mortality at all. They also indicate that if a healthy diet is introduced, weight loss in overweight people statistically reduces the risk of premature death by about 16%.
However, the researchers point out that the new review was not designed to pinpoint exactly how exercise or weight loss affects longevity in people with obesity. Dr. Gaesser also points out that people who have lost weight through their diet are at risk of the yo-yo effect. Such fluctuations in weight often contribute to metabolic problems such as diabetes and high cholesterol. With exercise, obese people also tend to lose some visceral fat that covers their internal organs. This is important even if the overall weight loss is not significant. Because excess visceral fat, instead of protecting the organs from mechanical damage, impairs their work. Visceral fat may increase the risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
The main lesson to be learned from the new review is that you don’t need to lose weight to be healthy. Of course, you should not eat unhealthy products, but it is worth focusing more on physical activity and improving the overall condition of the body.
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