A new meta-analysis published in JAMA Network Open has found that exercising for two and a half hours a week may be key to significant weight loss. The study analyzed a series of previous clinical trials that looked at the effects of exercise on weight loss, and the results offer important implications for people looking to improve their fitness.
Research has found that aerobic exercise lasting more than 150 minutes per week, at a moderate intensity or higher, can support clinically meaningful weight loss, while exercising for only about 30 minutes per week typically produces only modest reductions in weight, body fat, and waist circumference.
Aerobic exercise includes activities such as jogging, cycling, swimming, or any activity that increases your heart rate and keeps you moving for a long period of time.
In addition to weight loss, previous studies have shown that this type of exercise also brings many other benefits such as improving cognition and protecting the brain against signs of age-related decline.
Current health guidelines recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise per week to achieve a weight loss of about 2–3 kg. To achieve a larger weight loss goal of 5–7.5 kg, increase your activity time to about 225–420 minutes per week.
The new study looked at data from more than 100 clinical trials that lasted at least eight weeks in overweight or obese adults. The results showed that while 30 minutes of exercise per week provided small benefits, the biggest improvements were seen when exercise exceeded 150 minutes per week.
In addition to weight loss, aerobic exercise offers other benefits such as reducing stress and depression.
