Mixed
Resistance training reduces the loss of lean body mass during diet-induced weight loss, particularly in older adults with obesity.
If you are losing weight, include resistance training to protect your muscle mass. This is especially important if you are older. Aerobic exercise alone may not preserve muscle as effectively as resistance training.
Resistance training reduced lean mass loss during weight loss (1 SR-MA, MD: 0.8 [95%CI: 0.4–1.3] kg)... The SR-MA by Sardeli et al. reported a significantly lower decrease in lean mass in older adults after resistance training.
Why this rating
Based on a smaller number of systematic reviews (1-2) specifically focusing on lean mass preservation compared to weight loss.
Source
Effect of exercise training on weight loss, body composition changes, and weight maintenance in adults with overweight or obesity: An overview of 12 systematic reviews and 149 studies
Alice Bellicha et al. · Obesity Reviews · 2021
DOI 10.1111/obr.13256
More from this paper
- Exercise training produces significant weight loss (1.5–3.5 kg) and fat loss (1.3–2.6 kg) in adults with overweight or obesity, with no significant difference between aerobic and high-intensity interval training (HIIT) when energy expenditure is equalized.Good
- Exercise training, particularly aerobic and HIIT, leads to significant loss of visceral adipose tissue, which may provide cardiometabolic health benefits.Good
- Exercise training has no significant effect on weight maintenance (prevention of weight regain) after an initial weight loss phase.Limited
Related findings · Mixed
- Bariatric surgery (VSG and RYGB) is the most effective and sustainable treatment for obesity, producing marked and sustained weight loss that non-surgical interventions cannot match.Strong
- Severely protein-deficient diets (2–3% energy) induce lean body mass loss and metabolic imbalance, whereas adequate protein intake (0.66 g/kg/d minimum) is a prerequisite for maintaining muscle, bone, and physiological function.Strong
- For patients with Class III obesity (BMI >39.9 kg/m2), metabolic bariatric surgery (MBS) is significantly more effective than any currently approved medication, with BilioPancreatic Diversion (BPD) showing the highest estimated weight loss.Strong
This is one finding among thousands. Every one is graded and traced to its source, so you can see what the evidence actually supports. Browse the research →