Physical Activity and Weight Gain Prevention

[jliddil]

http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/sh ... /1173?home

Limitations include self-reported recreational physical activity and
weight. However, the physical activity questionnaire used has shown good
reliability and validity,18,19 and physical activity in the present study has
shown expected associations with chronic disease outcomes.33-35 Selfreported
body weight also is highly correlated (r=0.96) with directly measured
weight in health professionals.21 We did not have detailed information
on other measures of body composition nor on medications potentially
affecting weight. Furthermore, participants are not representative of the US
population; however, their rate of weight gain was similar to that of comparably
aged women in the general population.8 Although we adjusted
for baseline diet, we did not have repeated measures of diet over time.
We also did not examine activity levels needed for weight management
among women restricting caloric intake because our intent was to investigate
women consuming a usual diet.

In conclusion, in this large prospective study of women consuming a usual
diet, sustained moderate-intensity physical activity for approximately 60
minutes per day was needed to maintain normal weight and prevent weight
gain. These data suggest that the 2008 federal recommendation for 150 minutes
per week, while clearly sufficient to lower the risks of chronic diseases,
is insufficient for weight gain prevention absent caloric restriction. Physical
activity was inversely related to weight gain only among normalweight
women; among heavier women, there was no relation, emphasizing the
importance of controlling caloric intake for weight maintenance in this
group.

[gregsmith01748]

The representation of this study in the media is really pissing me off. The data analysis study basically makes sense, that most people will maintain about the same weight over time, independent of activity level. Essentially, if you are more active, you will tend to consume more calories, which is what you body (and all the junk food marketing) is telling you to do. But, the conclusion in the report that the government recommendation of 150 minutes of moderate activity per week should be increased is highly suspect, since it ignores the most important thing that is making Americans fat...too much food.

I was watching the news (I think it was NBC) and the angle of their story on this was that it was hopeless for women to try to use exercise to lose weight. It made me livid. A balanced story would essentially say that in order to lose weight, you need to INCREASE activity and DECREASE calorie intake. Instead they basically said, tough luck, being fat is inevitable.

[jliddil]

FWIW the full text article is available for free on the JAMA web site. Yes the media really presents studies in a warped manner

[johnlvs2run]

I was watching the news (I think it was NBC) and .. It made me livid.

That's a good reason to never watch the news.

I never do.