While physical activity has many health benefits – including reducing the risk of heart disease, diabetes and improved mental health – public health scientists out of Loyola University in Chicago suggest that contrary to common belief, exercise alone does not help you to lose weight.
“Physical activity is crucially important for improving overall health and fitness levels, but there is limited evidence to suggest that it can blunt the surge in obesity,” say Dr. Richard Cooper and Dr. Amy Luke, who conducted the study.
Cooper and Luke, who have been studying the link between physical activity and obesity for years, have recently found that as your level of activity increases, so does your appetite. As this occurs, your body may overcompensate by consuming extra food (and, as a result, extra calories).
So, with or without increasing physical activity, calorie control remains key to losing or maintaining weight.
In recent years, the food and beverage industry has tried to divert attention from calorie consumption by promoting the theory that lack of physical exercise is a major cause of obesity.
For example, the New York Times recently reported that Coca-Cola, the world’s largest producer of sugar-laden beverages, is “backing a new ‘science-based’ solution to the obesity crisis: to maintain a healthy weight, get more exercise and worry less about cutting calories.”
However, Cooper and Luke note that this is both incorrect and unfair to consumers.
“This crucial part of the public health message is not appreciated in recommendations to be more active, walk up stairs and eat more fruits and vegetables,” they say. “The prescription needs to be precise: There is only one effective way to lose weight – eat fewer calories.”
