Journal of the American College of Nutrition, Vol 12, Issue 4 363-367, Copyright © 1993 by American College of Nutrition
Exercise is not an effective weight loss modality in women
G. W. Gleim
Nicholas Institute of Sports Medicine & Athletic Trauma, Lenox Hill Hospital, New York, NY 10021.
The excess caloric expenditure which results from physical activity should
lead to weight loss if caloric expenditure at other times remains constant.
Unfortunately, while there is good evidence for such an effect in men,
there is little if any evidence for a similar effect in women. Weight loss
with exercise does not readily occur in women unless accompanied by caloric
restriction. Further, the role of exercise in maintaining resting metabolic
rate while dieting has only marginal support. Potential reasons for the
ineffectiveness of exercise in inducing weight loss in women include
smaller body size and lower aerobic capacity, under-reporting of caloric
intake, differences in body fat distribution and sensitivity to
catecholamines, a different gonadal hormone milieu, and energy conservation
resulting from evolutionary pressures. Nevertheless, regular exercise in
women has many beneficial effects on lipids, glucose homeostasis and bone
metabolism even if weight loss does not occur.
