Exercise Recommendations Should Differ

Ukmedix has learnt of an interesting research program that set out to learn if the actual amount of calorie burning and energy expended with the same exercise was the same in obese and overweight people as it was in normal weight people. The study in an Australian University saw that when they asked obese people to take a brisk but pleasant 30 minute walk on a reular basis their fitness was improved over time. However when the same exercise routine was applied to normal weight individuals the results were not the same and the fitness levels of these people was not improved.

Overall the survey looked at 30 obese individuals and 20 normal weight individuals and made them go for regular walks at just around 3.5 miles an hour . At this speed the obese people were able to work up a sweat and produce some effective cardio-respiratory activity that improved fitness. The researchers said that the extra fat and weight that they have means that they have to exert more to move and to walk far and thus they use their hearts and lungs more than would do normal weight people.

With this in mind the researchers are keen to recommend that exercise guidelines reflect this and that they are adjusted for people of diferent BMI scores. It is important that normal weight people walk or run faster than obese people and that same for all standard for exercise could lead to over exercise for some people and under exercise for others.