Impact of Structured Exercise on Daily Physical Activity in Overweight and Obese Adults

Structured exercise is a common intervention for overweight and obese adults but is generally not effective for weight lossdue to compensatory changes in behavior as a result of participation in an exercise program. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of participating in structured exercise on daily and weekly physical activity, changes in body composition and aerobic fitness. A total of 10 overweight/obese women participated in an employee wellness weight lossprogram two times per week for eight weeks. At baseline and last week of the program all participants underwent measurements for physical activity, body mass index (BMI), body fat, circumferences, and VO2max. There were no significant changes in BMI, body composition and VO2max following this 8-week program. It is possible that this is due to either a decrease in spontaneous daily physical activity or increased caloric intake as a result of participation in this program.