Energy balance

Maintaining high levels of habitual physical activity (defined as meeting or exceeding Health and Human Services recommendations of ~150 minutes/week of moderate activity) over a 20-year period significantly attenuates age-related weight gain in young adults transitioning to middle age, with a more pronounced effect in women.

To prevent age-related weight gain, aim to maintain a consistent level of physical activity equivalent to at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week. This study shows that maintaining this level over 20 years, particularly for women, significantly reduces the amount of weight gained as you transition from young adulthood to middle age. While men may experience some compensatory increase in appetite, the net effect of maintaining this activity level is still a substantial reduction in weight gain compared to being sedentary.