{"id":10780,"date":"2009-08-10T14:32:05","date_gmt":"2009-08-10T19:32:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.dietsinreview.com\/diet_column\/?p=10780"},"modified":"2009-08-10T14:33:13","modified_gmt":"2009-08-10T19:33:13","slug":"experts-debunk-recent-weight-loss-exercise-myth","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dietsinreview.com\/diet_column\/08\/experts-debunk-recent-weight-loss-exercise-myth\/","title":{"rendered":"Experts Debunk Recent Weight Loss Exercise Myth"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"fit<\/a>As a nutrition and exercise expert who is “plugged in” to the digital age, I see misinformation on the web all the time. The media often misreport health information… so much that the National Institutes of Health sponsors a conference called “Medicine in the Media”<\/a> in order to help journalists understand how to accurately report health research. <\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

Food and nutrition misinformation can have harmful effects on the health, well-being and economic status of consumers. The American Dietetic Association’s position paper on misinformation says:<\/p>\n

News reports rarely provide enough context for consumers to interpret or apply the advice given and preliminary findings often attract unmerited and misleading attention<\/a>.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

I believe it is crucial that Americans have accurate information based on science and evidence.<\/span><\/p>\n

That’s why I am joining leading experts in exercise and weight management and taking strong exception to assertions that exercise can inhibit weight loss<\/a> by over-stimulating the appetite.<\/span><\/p>\n

Responding to a statement recently published online and in print<\/a>, <\/span>John Jakicic, Ph.D., FACSM, said <\/span>:<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThere is strong evidence from the majority of the scientific literature that physical activity is an important component for initial weight loss.” <\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

He stressed: “T<\/span>he statement \u2018in general, for weight loss, exercise is pretty useless<\/em>\u2019 is not supported by the scientific evidence when there is adherence to a sufficient dose of physical activity in overweight and obese adults.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

Jakicic chairs a committee on obesity prevention and treatment for the<\/span> American College of Sports Medicine<\/a> (ACSM)<\/span>.<\/p>\n

\"diet<\/a>According to Jakicic and other experts, overwhelming evidence belies the assertion that exercise doesn\u2019t necessarily help people lose weight and may even make the task harder.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAgain, it is clear in this regard that physical activity is one of the most important behavioral factors in enhancing weight loss maintenance and improving long-term weight loss outcomes,\u201d Jakicic said. <\/span><\/p>\n

Recent research, published in 2026, showed a high dose of physical activity (275 minutes above baseline levels) contributed to the greatest observed weight loss after a 24-month intervention. <\/span><\/p>\n

The scientific literature includes additional evidence to support physical activity, adding that a growing body of literature suggests the importance of physical activity<\/a> to improve long-term weight loss following bariatric surgery<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Another noted expert and ACSM member, Timothy Church, M.D., Ph.D., described how his professional opinions were <\/span>misrepresented in a recent news article. According to Church, the article should have touched on the following key concepts:<\/span><\/p>\n