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Review
. 2013 Apr;1281(1):141-59.
doi: 10.1111/j.1749-6632.2012.06785.x. Epub 2012 Nov 21.

Physical activity in obesity and metabolic syndrome

Barbara Strasser  1
Affiliations
Free PMC article
Review

Physical activity in obesity and metabolic syndrome

Barbara Strasser. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2013 Apr.
Free PMC article

Abstract

Biological aging is typically associated with a progressive increase in body fat mass and a loss of lean body mass. Owing to the metabolic consequences of reduced muscle mass, it is understood that normal aging and/or decreased physical activity may lead to a higher prevalence of metabolic disorders. Lifestyle modification, specifically changes in diet, physical activity, and exercise, is considered the cornerstone of obesity management. However, for most overweight people it is difficult to lose weight permanently through diet or exercise. Thus, prevention of weight gain is thought to be more effective than weight loss in reducing obesity rates. A key question is whether physical activity can extenuate age-related weight gain and promote metabolic health in adults. Current guidelines suggest that adults should accumulate about 60 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity daily to prevent unhealthy weight gain. Because evidence suggests that resistance training may promote a negative energy balance and may change body fat distribution, it is possible that an increase in muscle mass after resistance training may be a key mediator leading to better metabolic control.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Distribution of time (hours/day) spent in sedentary, light-intensity physical activity and exercise according to quartiles of sedentary time from the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Based on one week of accelerometer data in 1,712 adults, the stacked column graphs show the allocation of walking hours spent sedentary, in light activity, and in exercise, from the lowest (first) to the upper (fourth) quartile of overall sedentary time. Adapted and modified from work by Owen et al.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Fitness–mortality curve. Relationship between cardiorespiratory fitness and mortality in 13,344 middle-aged men and women. The question is whether the typical person who already does not perform structured exercise regularly will have increased risks of metabolic diseases in the coming years as a result of too much sitting. Too little exercise and too much sitting could push the fitness–mortality curve upward or shift it to the left, where there is the most risk for disease. Source from work by Hamilton et al.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Potential pathways through which physical activity and sedentary behavior influence obesity rate and weight gain. Adapted and modified from work by Hu.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Percentage change in metabolic parameters after four months RT (black) or AET (white) in patients with T2D. Whiskers represent standard deviation. Source from work by Cauza et al.
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