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Exercising without dieting was
shown to be as effective for modest weight loss as dieting without exercising,
in this latest study. To summarize:
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Researchers in Canada studied 52 men with abdominal
obesity, in which most of a person's body fat is in the stomach region.
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The men where divided into four different study
groups:
- weight loss by dieting;
- exercise intended to produce weight loss;
- exercise designed not to produce weight loss;
- no special diet or exercise (the control group).
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At the beginning and the end of the 12-week study
period, investigators measured the men's weight, total body fat, proportion
of body fat in the abdomen, body muscle, physical fitness, and early
signs of diabetes.
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On average, men in both the diet and the exercise-weight
loss programs lost about 16 pounds. The weight of the men in the other
two groups did not change, but all men who exercised, even the ones
who did not lose weight, experienced an increase in physical fitness.
- The researchers point out that obesity is related
to many illnesses including:
- high blood pressure
- diabetes
- heart disease.
"Our findings are in stark contrast to previous
observations. Although we reaffirm that diet restriction is effective
for reducing total and abdominal obesity, our findings also demonstrate
that 12 weeks of approximately 60 minutes of daily exercise without caloric
restriction is associated with substantial reductions in body weight,"
the authors report.
Annals
of Internal Medicine July, 2000;133:92-103.
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