Introduction
Obesity is a condition that results from accumulation of fat in the body. It has severe health effects on children and adults. Obesity predisposes victims to risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. The main causes include lack of adequate physical activity, consumption of foods rich in high-energy content, and susceptibility due to genetic makeup. One of the major causes of obesity is lack of adequate physical exercise. In the modern world, many people have shifted to less physically demanding careers that have eliminated physical activity. According to the World Health Organization, more than 30% of people in the world do not engage in adequate physical exercise. Technological advancements such as mechanized transport systems prevent the participation of people in physical activities. One of the most effective methods of managing obesity is physical exercise. Physical exercise promotes weight loss and helps individuals to manage obesity.
Physical exercise
The main effects of physical exercise on obesity reduction include promotion of weight loss, maintenance of healthy body weight, suppression of appetite, and regulation of insulin levels in the body. Weight loss is an important aspect of reducing obesity in adults. It controls body weight in several ways that include consumption of excess calories in the body, promotion of metabolism levels, and decrease in insulin levels. Bodyweight is primarily determined by the difference between calorie intake and calorie consumption by the body. Obesity is caused by high-calorie intake and low-calorie consumption. Any physical activity that consumes calories aids in reducing obesity. Examples of activities that consume calories include sleeping, walking, breathing, washing, and cooking. However, the intensity of physical activities determines the number of calories used by the body. High intensity activities consume more calories than low-intensity activities (Thompson et al, 2011). Research has shown that physical exercise is the most effective method of managing obesity.
Reduction of body weight
Physical exercise helps adults to reduce obesity through weight loss (Hill & Wyatt, 2005). This is the mainstay of managing obesity. Research has revealed that women who engage in regular physical exercise lose more weight compared to women who lead sedentary lifestyles. The intensity and duration of physical exercise determine the amount of weight lost (Hill & Wyatt, 2005). For example, twenty minutes of moderate-intensity exercise might not be effective for obese people whose aim is to lose weight. On the other hand, high-intensity physical exercise for about an hour is effective in helping individuals lose weight. Physical exercise is most effective when it is combined with good dieting. It is important for obese adults to control their calorie intake in order to benefit fully from physical exercise (Thompson et al, 2011). Dieting is important because it prevents replacement of body fat with muscles. Another effect of physical exercise on obesity reduction is replacement of sedentary lifestyles with active lifestyles (Hill & Wyatt, 2005). One of the main causes of obesity is leading a sedentary lifestyle that eliminates any kind of physical activity. For example, adults who spend a lot of time watching television or sitting in their offices working are at more risk of becoming obese than those who are active. It is important for obese adults to shift from sedentary to active lifestyles. When adults take part in physical exercise, they replace their sedentary habits with active and healthier habits that help them to reduce obesity (Hill & Wyatt, 2005).
Maintenance of healthy body weight
One of the vital aspects of reducing obesity is body weight management. An important effect of physical exercise on obesity reduction is maintenance of healthy body weight (Jakicic & Otto, 2005). Physical exercise helps adults to maintain healthy body weight only if performed consistently. Adults who work out for a certain period and abdicate training do little towards reducing obesity. Results of training are observed several weeks or months after commencement. Therefore, it is important to remain persistent and consistent with training. After reducing obesity and achieving a healthy body weight, the greatest challenge becomes how to maintain that weight without gaining more. Maintaining a healthy body weight after weight loss is achieved through participation in more physical activities. In addition, physical exercise improves mood and energy levels that motivate obese people to stick to their training regimens (Jakicic & Otto, 2005).
Appetite suppression
Some research studies conducted on the effect of physical exercise on obesity reduction have revealed that it suppresses appetite (Martins et al, 2008). This is contrary to popular belief that exercise increases appetite because it makes people hungry after working out. Research has revealed that physical exercise lowers the levels of a hormone known as ghrelin. Ghrelin decreases appetite by increasing the production of a hormone known as peptide YY that represses appetite (Martins et al, 2008). Appetite repression mainly occurs after engaging in intense workouts. During intense training, the body requires circulation of blood to active body organs in order to prevent overheating. As a result, blood flow to the stomach is subdued. This reduces appetite because low volumes of blood move to the stomach and slow down digestion (Martins et al, 2008). In adults, the effects of appetite repression are different. Women can go for longer periods with repressed appetite than men can. Since men are more muscular than women are, they need more energy.
Repressing appetite is important in reducing obesity because it controls the amount of calorie consumed. In order to manage obesity, it is important for the body to use more calories than those consumed. Repression of appetite reduces calorie intake and as such reduces obesity (Martins et al, 2008). Physical exercise increases the sensitivity of brain neurons that are in charge of satiety (Martins et al, 2008). This implies that frequent physical exercise enables obese people to control their hunger signals. Another study revealed that moderate physical exercise increases feelings of satiety after extended periods of exercise (Thompson et al, 2011). According to a study that sought to find out the relationship between hunger and physical exercise, repression of hunger triggers change in the levels of hormones that control satiety. High levels of PYY and GLP-1 hormones increase satiety and as such suppress hunger (Martins et al, 2008). Another study on the relationship between physical exercise and hunger revealed that participants in an aerobics exercise regimen experienced high levels of satiety after intense training.
Reduction of insulin levels in the body
The level of insulin in the body is one of the determining factors of obesity in adults. In order to reduce obesity, it is important to maintain healthy levels of insulin. It is easy for adults to achieve healthy insulin levels because their bodies are not very active. Therefore, they can control their intake of foods that contain fats. Healthy insulin levels can be achieved through physical exercise (Thompson et al, 2011). Research has revealed that adults who have low levels of insulin are less likely to become overweight because their body cells burn more energy and leave little for storage (Fisher et al, 2011). Obesity results from high levels of insulin that is introduced in the body through consumption of foods that contain high quantities of fat. This implies that adults can avoid gaining weight by maintain healthy levels of insulin in the body and as such reduce obesity.
Research has shown that physical activity aids in maintenance of healthy insulin levels in the body (Schmitz et al, 2003). Physical exercise increases the levels of adiponectin in the body as well as insulin sensitivity. One of the characteristics of obesity is low-grade inflammatory state, which has significant influence on the body’s sensitivity to insulin (Thompson et al, 2011). Constant physical exercise improves the body’ sensitivity to insulin, which is important for reduction of obesity in adults. Recommendations of the World Health Organization indicate that adults need a minimum of between 2 and 3 hours of physical exercise every week, which should range from moderate to vigorous (Thompson et al, 2011). Unlike children, adults need less hours of exercise because they have low levels of metabolism. However, they should determine adhere to the recommended number of hours that are needed for maintenance of healthy body weight. Participating in aerobic training maintains the body’s sensitivity to insulin for a period of 12 months after successful weight loss (Fisher et al, 2011).
Conclusion
Physical exercise is one of the most effective methods of reducing obesity. It has four main effects on obesity reduction in adults. These include reduction of body weight through loss of fat, maintenance of healthy body weight, suppression of appetite, and regulation of insulin levels in the body. It is important for obese adults to control the duration and intensity of physical exercise. In addition, controlling calorie intake is important for reduction of body weight. Dieting is important because it prevents replacement of body fat with muscles. On the other hand, replacement of fat with muscles increases the body’s energy consumption. This leads to oxidation of stored fat thus reducing obesity. Repression of appetite reduces food intake and helps to reduce obesity. Physical exercise helps adults to maintain a healthy body weight only if it is performed consistently. Adults who work out for a certain period and abdicate training do not receive the full benefits of physical exercise. Physical exercise increases the levels of adiponectin in the body as well as insulin sensitivity.
References
Fisher, G., Hunter, G., & Gower, A. (2011). Aerobic Exercise Training Conserves Insulin Sensitivity for 1 Year Following Weight Loss in Overweight Women. Journal of Applied Physiology, 112(40, 688-693.
Hill, J., & Wyatt, H. (2005). Role of Physical Activity in Preventing and Treating Obesity. Journal of Applied Physiology, 99(2), 765-770.
Jakicic, J., & Otto, A. (2005). Physical Activity Considerations for the Treatment and Prevention of Obesity. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 82(1), 2265-2295.
Martins, C., Morgan, L., & Truby, H. (2008). A Review of the Effects of Excessive Exercise on Appetite Regulation: An Obesity Perspective. International Journal of Obesity, 32, 1337-1347.
Schmitz, K., Kugler, K., & Leon, A. (2003). Strength Training for Obesity Prevention in Midlife Women. International Journal of Obesity, 27, 326-333.
Thompson, D., Karpe, F., & Frayn, K. (2011). Physical Activity and Exercise in the Regulation of Human Adipose Tissue physiology. Physiological Reviews, 92(1), 157-191.