Research

Mixed

Combining caloric restriction with physical activity significantly improves endothelium-dependent vasodilation in obese subjects, primarily by reducing insulin resistance and oxidative stress.

To improve blood vessel health in obesity, combine a moderate caloric deficit (600-800 kcal/day) with regular walking (30+ minutes, 3+ times a week) for 10-16 weeks. This dual approach improves insulin sensitivity and reduces oxidative stress, leading to better blood flow than weight loss alone.

GoodSupportsHIGH confidence
Our data demonstrate that energy-restricted diet associated with physical activity induce a significant and clinically relevant improvement in ACh-stimulated vasodilation in obese healthy subjects.
Angela Sciacqua et al. · Diabetes Care · 2003

Why this rating

Randomized controlled trial design with a specific intervention group, though sample size is small (n=28).

Source

Weight Loss in Combination With Physical Activity Improves Endothelial Dysfunction in Human Obesity

Angela Sciacqua et al. · Diabetes Care · 2003

DOI 10.2337/diacare.26.6.1673

clinical_trial · n=28Cited 131×
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DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10

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