In adults with overweight or obesity, consistently meeting a weekly goal of 300 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise is linked to a small decrease in body fat percentage over a year, with greater...
Mechanism
Synthesis from 1 study
When people stick to at least 300 minutes of exercise each week, they burn more calories than they consume, forcing their fat cells to release stored fat to be used as energy — this happens consistently across different weight-loss programs, and the more they stick to the exercise goal, the more...
Most probable mechanism
When people stick to at least 300 minutes of exercise each week, their bodies burn more calories than they take in, which causes fat cells to release stored fat into the blood to be used as fuel, leading to less body fat over time — this is seen in people who followed consistent exercise routines regardless of the weight-loss program they were in (10.3390/s26103256).
Sustained moderate-to-vigorous physical activity increases total daily energy expenditure beyond baseline metabolic needs, creating a persistent energy deficit (10.3390/s26103256).
The energy deficit triggers hormonal signals, including reduced insulin and increased catecholamines, which activate hormone-sensitive lipase in adipose tissue to break down triglycerides into free fatty acids and glycerol (10.3390/s26103256).
Free fatty acids are released into circulation and transported to skeletal muscle and other tissues, where they are oxidized to produce ATP, reducing lipid storage in adipocytes (10.3390/s26103256).
Over 12 months, repeated cycles of lipid mobilization and oxidation result in a net reduction in adipocyte size and percentage body fat, with the magnitude of reduction proportional to adherence levels (10.3390/s26103256).
Evidence from Studies
Supporting (1)
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Wearable-Measured Physical Activity Goal Adherence and Body Composition Change in a 12-Month mHealth Weight Loss Trial
Contradicting (0)
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