Obesity Myth: Exercise is the Best Way to Lose Weight

Here is what we had to say about the role of exercise in weight management in our recent article published in Canadian Family Physician:

There is now a consistent body of evidence showing that exercise alone, despite a range of health benefits associated with regular exercise, results in rather modest weight loss (less than 2 kg on average).

One of the explanations is that exercise is often accompanied by an increase in sedentary activities and appetite and a decrease in dietary restraint that counteract the increased energy expenditure of exercise.

However, increased exercise has been shown to reduce visceral adiposity (even with minimal changes in body weight).

Individuals who include regular exercise and active living as part of a weight-loss program are more likely to improve their overall health and keep the weight off.22 This latter finding might be attributable to the effect of regular exercise on caloric intake rather than on caloric expenditure per se.

Exercise alone generally promotes modest weight loss; however, individuals who exercise regularly might improve their overall health independent of weight loss and are more likely to keep their weight off.

@DrSharma
Wellington, NZ