Exercise doesn’t help with weight loss; research finds this food type is the ‘main culprit’ for fat gain

Weight gain causes: Study suggests that only a small portion of calorie burn comes from workout, while the rest of the calories are spent by the body to keep you alive (Image: Pexels)

• Exercise burns fewer calories than thought; most are used for basic functions.
• Ultra-processed foods are a major factor in body fat percentage.
• Exercise aids health but diet control is more effective for weight loss.

Did our AI summary help?

If you want to burn excess calories from that piece of cake you had over the weekend, sweating it out at the gym is often thought to compensate. This is because exercise has long been considered the go-to option for weight loss. However, new research suggests that people who exercise more do not burn more calories than those who have a sedentary lifestyle.

Researchers collected data on over 4,200 people across 34 different countries and found that a hunter-gatherer from Tanzania’s Hadza community, with an active lifestyle, burns as many calories as an average American office-goer each day. There may be a small difference, but it is minimal, with only 10 per cent attributed to exercise.

However, if you think you should completely eliminate exercise from your routine, you may be wrong. Duke University anthropologist Herman Pontzer, who led the research, said that things may be more complicated than previously believed.

Also read | Weight gain: Avoid these unhealthy diet and lifestyle habits to stop unwanted weight gain

Metabolism when we start to exercise

According to the study, only a small portion of calorie burn comes from workout, while the rest of the calories are spent by the body to keep you alive. The “behind-the-scenes” work, such as breathing, pumping blood, digesting food etc, is called the basal metabolic rate (BMR), which uses up the majority of the daily energy.

Now when you start to exercise, the metabolism adapts and begins to use less energy elsewhere to balance things out. Pontzer explained, “Our bodies are able to adjust to our different lifestyles. If we’re more physically active, our bodies seem to adjust to spend less energy on other stuff. The total calories burned per day is not different, even though we’re more or less physically active.”

While this may worry some, the fact is, “rejuggling” how calories are spent is a good way to ensure reduced inflammation and better overall health. So exercise is helpful, but just not in burning calories.

Also read | Gaining weight even when you're on a diet? 8 red flags you have a metabolic disorder

Body fat percentage

According to Pontzer, the real factor associated with body fat percentage isn’t exercise but food. It is the calories we consume, but never burn. Researchers found that the main culprit behind weight gain or obesity is the consumption of excess ultra-processed foods, such as sweets, snacks, colourful cereal, bottled sauces, ready meals, flavoured yoghurts, and more.

This estimation was drawn using large-scale data from national nutrition surveys and worldwide food consumption databases, rather than detailed food diaries, calorie tracking, or nutrient analysis for either US office workers or members of the Hadza community. So while this was challenged by critics, it was also agreed that it is easier to over consume junk foods, leading to weight gain.

Exercise still matters

Critics of the study also argue that exercise does regulate appetite and change body composition. Building more muscles raises your energy needs and the calories you burn. And while Pontzer agrees to this, he says the effects are only “marginal.”

However, while there may be disagreements over the effectiveness of exercise for fat loss, it’s still considered to be beneficial for the body. It strengthens our joints, improves cardiovascular health, improves metabolism, and boosts mental well-being. But the key consideration for weight loss should be diet, according to Pontzer.

Disclaimer: This article, including health and fitness advice, only provides generic information. Don’t treat it as a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist for specific health diagnosis.