Exercise and Fitness Effect on Obesity

Obesity represents a significant public health concern, with one-third of adults classified as living with obesity in the United States. Obesity correlates with cardiometabolic comorbidities that can decrease the quality of life. Researchers have proposed that exercise is an important lifestyle measure to maintain a healthy weight. This review will cover the role of exercise in obesity and fitness.

Obesity is an excessive fat accumulation in adipose tissues defined by a body mass index (BMI) of 30 kg/m 2 and above. Individuals in the BMI range of 25 to 30 kg/m 2 are categorized as overweight, while a BMI of 40 kg/m 2 and above is regarded as morbid obesity. Obesity correlates with an individual’s increased risk of cancers, stroke, metabolic disease, heart failure, and other cardiovascular conditions, highlighting the need to reduce the incidence and prevalence of obesity. Chronic low-grade inflammation associated with obesity is hypothesized to have associations with adverse cardiometabolic adverse effects. Although short-term inflammation is beneficial to initiate an immune response, chronically elevated levels of inflammation exhaust the immune system and contribute to immune dysfunction. Researchers posit that this inflammation is stimulated by the excess adipose tissue, which has consistently been shown to play a role as an active endocrine organ.

Reducing adipose tissue is one of the ways to reduce weight in individuals with obesity and is necessary to mitigate negative cardio-metabolic comorbidities in obesity. Two methods exist that can effectively decrease adipose tissue and include:

  1. Dietary modification
  2. Energy expenditure modification (ie, exercise)

Thus, increasing energy expenditure can help reduce excess adipose tissue and obesity. The current guidelines by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) include aerobic or anaerobic exercise. Aerobic exercise (eg, running, cycling, rowing) is an exercise that exhausts the oxygen in the muscles. Still, oxygen consumption is sufficient to supply the energy demands placed on the muscles and does not need to derive energy from another source. On the other hand, anaerobic exercise or resistance exercise, eg, weight lifting)is oxygen consumption insufficient to supply the energy demands placed on the muscles, and muscles must break down other energy supplies, such as sugars, to produce energy and lactic acid. Physical activity is included in the exercise, although it does not necessarily include structured exercise plans/sessions.

The measurement of exercise is conducted in “metabolic equivalent tasks” (METs), which roughly equate to the effort and energy expenditure it takes for an individual to sit quietly. Physical activity is frequently incorporated into different lifestyle interventions, highlighting the need for regular daily physical activity. Physical activity in the general lifestyle includes goal setting, problem-solving, leisure-time physical activity, and activity used for commuting. Outcomes of interest include cardiorespiratory fitness, body composition, and muscular fitness. Recently, much literature has shown the positive effects of exercise on physical health and cognitive and emotional well-being in people of all ages.

Copyright © 2024, StatPearls Publishing LLC.

Conflict of interest statement

Disclosure: Grace Niemiro declares no relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies.

Disclosure: Ayesan Rewane declares no relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies.

Disclosure: Amit Algotar declares no relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies.

Sections

Similar articles

Antwi F, Fazylova N, Garcon MC, Lopez L, Rubiano R, Slyer JT. Antwi F, et al. JBI Libr Syst Rev. 2012;10(42 Suppl):1-14. doi: 10.11124/jbisrir-2012-248. JBI Libr Syst Rev. 2012. PMID: 27820152

Spencer L, Rollo M, Hauck Y, MacDonald-Wicks L, Wood L, Hutchesson M, Giglia R, Smith R, Collins C. Spencer L, et al. JBI Database System Rev Implement Rep. 2015 Jan;13(1):88-98. doi: 10.11124/jbisrir-2015-1812. JBI Database System Rev Implement Rep. 2015. PMID: 26447010

Crider K, Williams J, Qi YP, Gutman J, Yeung L, Mai C, Finkelstain J, Mehta S, Pons-Duran C, Menéndez C, Moraleda C, Rogers L, Daniels K, Green P. Crider K, et al. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2022 Feb 1;2(2022):CD014217. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD014217. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2022. PMID: 36321557 Free PMC article.

Poirier P, Després JP. Poirier P, et al. Cardiol Clin. 2001 Aug;19(3):459-70. doi: 10.1016/s0733-8651(05)70229-0. Cardiol Clin. 2001. PMID: 11570117 Review.

Boushey C, Ard J, Bazzano L, Heymsfield S, Mayer-Davis E, Sabaté J, Snetselaar L, Van Horn L, Schneeman B, English LK, Bates M, Callahan E, Butera G, Terry N, Obbagy J. Boushey C, et al. Alexandria (VA): USDA Nutrition Evidence Systematic Review; 2020 Jul. Alexandria (VA): USDA Nutrition Evidence Systematic Review; 2020 Jul. PMID: 35129906 Free Books & Documents. Review.

References

    1. Ogden CL, Carroll MD, Kit BK, Flegal KM. Prevalence of childhood and adult obesity in the United States, 2011-2012. JAMA. 2014 Feb 26;311(8):806-14. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Hotamisligil GS. Inflammation and metabolic disorders. Nature. 2006 Dec 14;444(7121):860-7. - PubMed
    1. Caterson ID, Gill TP. Obesity: epidemiology and possible prevention. Best Pract Res Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2002 Dec;16(4):595-610. - PubMed
    1. Asghar A, Sheikh N. Role of immune cells in obesity induced low grade inflammation and insulin resistance. Cell Immunol. 2017 May;315:18-26. - PubMed
    1. de Heredia FP, Gómez-Martínez S, Marcos A. Obesity, inflammation and the immune system. Proc Nutr Soc. 2012 May;71(2):332-8. - PubMed