Research
Energy balance
Moderate intensity physical activity (150-250 min/week) prevents weight gain, while >250 min/week is required for weight maintenance after loss.
To keep weight off, aim for more than 250 minutes of moderate exercise per week. To prevent gaining weight, 150-250 minutes is sufficient. Do not rely on exercise alone for weight loss; combine it with dietary changes.
GoodQualifiesHIGH confidence
Moderate intensity physical activity performed for 150–250 min per week appears to prevent weight gain and produces modest weight loss in adults. Greater amounts of moderate intensity physical activity (>250 min per week) are required for weight maintenance following weight loss.
Why this rating
Based on observational studies and ACSM position papers.
Source
Energy balance and obesity: what are the main drivers?
On behalf of the IARC working group on Energy Balance and Obesity et al. · Cancer Causes & Control · 2017
DOI 10.1007/s10552-017-0869-z
narrative_reviewCited 755×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
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