Aerobic Exercise Breakthrough: Unlocking Weight Loss Secrets

A comprehensive review of 116 studies with nearly 7,000 participants reveals that 150 minutes of aerobic exercise weekly is optimal for reducing waist and body fat. Significant body weight reduction is possible with up to 300 minutes. The research underscores aerobic training's critical role in effective weight management.

Researchers have found that engaging in aerobic exercises for at least 150 minutes weekly significantly reduces waist and body fat. This finding comes after reviewing 116 studies involving 7,000 overweight and obese adults.

The highest reductions in body weight and waist circumference were observed at 300 minutes of weekly aerobic training. However, the best improvements in body fat percentage were noted at the 150-minute mark, according to findings published in The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) Network Open.

The research, involving experts from institutions like Imperial College in London, highlights the importance of aerobic exercises, such as running and cycling, in raising the heart rate and enhancing oxygen supply to muscles and organs. It emphasizes that current fitness guidelines are based on singular studies and that a comprehensive, evidence-based recommendation was previously lacking. Their analysis targeted adults with a body mass index exceeding 25 in Western contexts or 23 in Asian contexts, indicating that 150 minutes of exercise at moderate intensity weekly is necessary for significant reductions in body fat and waist size.

(With inputs from agencies.)