Exercise is a critical part of the weight loss equation. But those who are pressed for time–and who isn’t–should be encouraged by the findings of a new study. 2,200 women and 2,300 men participated in the NHANES research conducted between 2003 and 2006. They wore accelerometers, gadgets to track their physical activity, for a week at a time periodically during the study.
Even short bouts of high intensity exercise were associated with a drop in body mass index. The researchers were surprised to find that for preventing weight gain, the intensity of the activity matters more than the duration. Each minute of high intensity exercise helped women reduce their risk of obesity by 5 percent, while men reduced theirs by 2 percent.
