Empirical Evaluation of Physical Activity Recommendation for Weight Control
Empirical Evaluation of Physical Activity Recommendation for Weight Control
Purpose: Recent recommendations advise 30-60 min of physical activity per day to prevent weight gain and 60-90 min to prevent weight regain. No studies have used objective measures of physical activity to verify these public health recommendations. The purpose of this study was to use objective measures to quantify the amount and intensity of physical activity in a weight-loss-maintainer group and an always-normal-weight group, and, thus,empirically evaluate the recommendations for prevention of weight gain versus regain.
Methods: The weight-loss-maintainer group (N = 135) lost ≥ 30.6 kg, maintained ≥ 10% weight loss for 14.2 yr, and had a BMI of 22.0 kg·m. The always-normal-weight group (N = 102) had a BMI of 21.1 kg·m and no history of overweight. Accelerometry was used to assess the amount and intensity of physical activity.
Results: The weight-loss-maintainer group spent significantly more minutes per day than the always-normal-weight group in physical activity (58.6 vs 52.1; P = 0.0001), largely because of more time spent in higher-intensity activities (24.4 vs 16.9; P = 0.02). The majority of individuals in the always-normal-weight group engaged in 30-60 min·d of physical activity, whereas a greater proportion of individuals in the weight-loss-maintainer group engaged in > 60 min (P = 0.002).
Conclusions: Findings support current recommendations that more activity may be needed to prevent weight regain than to prevent weight gain. Including some higher-intensity activity may also be advisable for weight-loss maintenance.
Public health guidelines regarding exercise prescription have been in flux over the years, partly because of methodologic differences in collecting and interpreting the extant data and differences in the health outcomes of interest. With few exceptions, studies examining exercise requirements for weight-loss maintenance have relied on retrospective self-report measures of physical activity and have not included objective measures.
Given the increasing prevalence of obesity and its health consequences, it is important to have objective data on the amount of physical activity of those who are able to successfully maintain a normal body weight. Two groups are of particular interest: those who are normal weight and have been able to maintain a stable normal body weight throughout their lives, and those who are currently normal weight but have reduced from a prior period of being overweight or obese. The recent public health recommendations have specified different levels of activity for these two groups (i.e., 30-60 min for individuals needing to avoid weight gain and 60-90 for individuals needing to avoid weight regain). However, the physical activity of individuals who are successfully maintaining a significant weight loss versus individuals who are maintaining weight stability has never been directly compared using objective measures.
The purpose of this study was to 1) use objective measures to quantify the amount and intensity of physical activity of successful weight-loss maintainers and normal-weight individuals without a history of obesity, and 2) to compare the amount and intensity of physical activity in these two groups relative to current physical activity recommendations. The sample was restricted to females on the basis of previous research showing marked gender differences in physical activity levels.
Abstract and Introduction
Abstract
Purpose: Recent recommendations advise 30-60 min of physical activity per day to prevent weight gain and 60-90 min to prevent weight regain. No studies have used objective measures of physical activity to verify these public health recommendations. The purpose of this study was to use objective measures to quantify the amount and intensity of physical activity in a weight-loss-maintainer group and an always-normal-weight group, and, thus,empirically evaluate the recommendations for prevention of weight gain versus regain.
Methods: The weight-loss-maintainer group (N = 135) lost ≥ 30.6 kg, maintained ≥ 10% weight loss for 14.2 yr, and had a BMI of 22.0 kg·m. The always-normal-weight group (N = 102) had a BMI of 21.1 kg·m and no history of overweight. Accelerometry was used to assess the amount and intensity of physical activity.
Results: The weight-loss-maintainer group spent significantly more minutes per day than the always-normal-weight group in physical activity (58.6 vs 52.1; P = 0.0001), largely because of more time spent in higher-intensity activities (24.4 vs 16.9; P = 0.02). The majority of individuals in the always-normal-weight group engaged in 30-60 min·d of physical activity, whereas a greater proportion of individuals in the weight-loss-maintainer group engaged in > 60 min (P = 0.002).
Conclusions: Findings support current recommendations that more activity may be needed to prevent weight regain than to prevent weight gain. Including some higher-intensity activity may also be advisable for weight-loss maintenance.
Introduction
Public health guidelines regarding exercise prescription have been in flux over the years, partly because of methodologic differences in collecting and interpreting the extant data and differences in the health outcomes of interest. With few exceptions, studies examining exercise requirements for weight-loss maintenance have relied on retrospective self-report measures of physical activity and have not included objective measures.
Given the increasing prevalence of obesity and its health consequences, it is important to have objective data on the amount of physical activity of those who are able to successfully maintain a normal body weight. Two groups are of particular interest: those who are normal weight and have been able to maintain a stable normal body weight throughout their lives, and those who are currently normal weight but have reduced from a prior period of being overweight or obese. The recent public health recommendations have specified different levels of activity for these two groups (i.e., 30-60 min for individuals needing to avoid weight gain and 60-90 for individuals needing to avoid weight regain). However, the physical activity of individuals who are successfully maintaining a significant weight loss versus individuals who are maintaining weight stability has never been directly compared using objective measures.
The purpose of this study was to 1) use objective measures to quantify the amount and intensity of physical activity of successful weight-loss maintainers and normal-weight individuals without a history of obesity, and 2) to compare the amount and intensity of physical activity in these two groups relative to current physical activity recommendations. The sample was restricted to females on the basis of previous research showing marked gender differences in physical activity levels.
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