Effect of exercise training on weight loss, body composition changes, and weight maintenance in adults with overweight or obesity: An overview of 12 systematic reviews and 149 studies

Alice Bellicha^{1

2}, Marleen A van Baak³, Francesca Battista⁴, Kristine Beaulieu⁵, John E Blundell⁵, Luca Busetto^{6

7}, Eliana V Carraça⁸, Dror Dicker^{6

9}, Jorge Encantado¹⁰, Andrea Ermolao⁴, Nathalie Farpour-Lambert^{6

11}, Adriyan Pramono³, Euan Woodward⁶, Jean-Michel Oppert¹²

Affiliations

¹ INSERM, Nutrition and obesities: systemic approaches, NutriOmics, Sorbonne University, Paris, France.
² UFR SESS-STAPS, University Paris-Est Créteil, Créteil, France.
³ NUTRIM School of Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism, Department of Human Biology, Maastricht University Medical Centre+, Maastricht, Netherlands.
⁴ Sport and Exercise Medicine Division, Department of Medicine, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
⁵ Appetite Control and Energy Balance Group (ACEB), School of Psychology, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK.
⁶ Obesity Management Task Force (OMTF), European Association for the Study of obesity (EASO).
⁷ Department of Medicine, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
⁸ Faculdade de Educação Física e Desporto, CIDEFES, Universidade Lusófona de Humanidades e Tecnologias, Lisbon, Portugal.
⁹ Department of Internal Medicine D, Hasharon Hospital, Rabin Medical Center, Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
¹⁰ APPsyCI-Applied Psychology Research Center Capabilities and Inclusion, ISPA-University Institute, Lisbon, Portugal.
¹¹ Obesity Prevention and Care Program Contrepoids; Service of Endocrinology, Diabetology, Nutrition and Patient Education, Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospitals of Geneva and University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.
¹² Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP), Pitié-Salpêtrière hospital, Department of Nutrition, Institute of Cardiometabolism and Nutrition, Sorbonne University, Paris, France.

PMID: 33955140
PMCID: PMC8365736
DOI: 10.1111/obr.13256

Review

Effect of exercise training on weight loss, body composition changes, and weight maintenance in adults with overweight or obesity: An overview of 12 systematic reviews and 149 studies

Alice Bellicha et al. Obes Rev. 2021 Jul.

. 2021 Jul;22 Suppl 4(Suppl 4):e13256.

doi: 10.1111/obr.13256. Epub 2021 May 6.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ INSERM, Nutrition and obesities: systemic approaches, NutriOmics, Sorbonne University, Paris, France.
² UFR SESS-STAPS, University Paris-Est Créteil, Créteil, France.
³ NUTRIM School of Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism, Department of Human Biology, Maastricht University Medical Centre+, Maastricht, Netherlands.
⁴ Sport and Exercise Medicine Division, Department of Medicine, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
⁵ Appetite Control and Energy Balance Group (ACEB), School of Psychology, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK.
⁶ Obesity Management Task Force (OMTF), European Association for the Study of obesity (EASO).
⁷ Department of Medicine, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
⁸ Faculdade de Educação Física e Desporto, CIDEFES, Universidade Lusófona de Humanidades e Tecnologias, Lisbon, Portugal.
⁹ Department of Internal Medicine D, Hasharon Hospital, Rabin Medical Center, Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
¹⁰ APPsyCI-Applied Psychology Research Center Capabilities and Inclusion, ISPA-University Institute, Lisbon, Portugal.
¹¹ Obesity Prevention and Care Program Contrepoids; Service of Endocrinology, Diabetology, Nutrition and Patient Education, Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospitals of Geneva and University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.
¹² Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP), Pitié-Salpêtrière hospital, Department of Nutrition, Institute of Cardiometabolism and Nutrition, Sorbonne University, Paris, France.

PMID: 33955140
PMCID: PMC8365736
DOI: 10.1111/obr.13256

Abstract

This overview of reviews aimed to summarize the effects of exercise training programs on weight loss, changes in body composition, and weight maintenance in adults with overweight or obesity. A systematic search of systematic reviews and meta-analyses (SR-MAs) published between 2010 and December 2019 was performed. Only SR-MAs of controlled trials were included. The mean difference (MD) or standardized MD (SMD) were extracted from SR-MAs. Twelve SR-MAs (149 studies) were included. Exercise led to a significant weight loss (4 SR-MAs, MDs ranging from -1.5 to -3.5 kg), fat loss (4 SR-MAs, MDs ranging from -1.3 to -2.6 kg) and visceral fat loss (3 SR-MAs, SMDs ranging from -0.33 to -0.56). No difference in weight, fat, and visceral loss was found between aerobic and high-intensity interval training as long as energy expenditure was equal. Resistance training reduced lean mass loss during weight loss (1 SR-MA, MD: 0.8 [95%CI: 0.4-1.3] kg). No significant effect of exercise was found on weight maintenance (1 SR-MA). These findings show favorable effects of exercise training on weight loss and body composition changes in adults with overweight or obesity. Visceral fat loss may lead to benefits for cardiometabolic health. More research is needed to identify training modalities that promote weight maintenance.

Keywords: body composition; exercise; weight loss; weight maintenance.

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Conflict of interest statement

No conflict of interest statement.

Figures

**FIGURE 1**
Flow diagram. (A) Overview of reviews flow diagram. (B) Systematic review flow diagram

See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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Effect of exercise training on weight loss, body composition changes, and weight maintenance in adults with overweight or obesity: An overview of 12 systematic reviews and 149 studies

Affiliations

Effect of exercise training on weight loss, body composition changes, and weight maintenance in adults with overweight or obesity: An overview of 12 systematic reviews and 149 studies

Authors

Affiliations

Abstract

Conflict of interest statement

Figures

References

Publication types

MeSH terms

LinkOut - more resources

Full Text Sources

Other Literature Sources

Medical

Research Materials

Miscellaneous