Research

Energy balance

Higher levels of nonsedentary physical activity (measured in MET-hours per week) are inversely associated with the risk of becoming overweight in adult men, with even moderate activity providing significant protection.

To prevent gaining excess weight, aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity daily, such as brisk walking or jogging. You do not need intense, prolonged exercise to see benefits; consistent, moderate movement significantly lowers your risk of becoming overweight over time.

GoodSupportsHIGH confidence
Compared with men in the lowest quintile of METS, men in the highest quintile had an age- and smoking-adjusted relative risk of 0.79 (95% CI = 0.64, 0.99; P for trend = .01) for becoming overweight by 1990.
Pamela Ching et al. · American Journal of Public Health · 1996

Why this rating

Large prospective cohort (n=17,795) with rigorous adjustment for confounders, though self-reported activity data introduces potential bias.

Source

Activity level and risk of overweight in male health professionals.

Pamela Ching et al. · American Journal of Public Health · 1996

DOI 10.2105/ajph.86.1.25

cohort · n=22076Cited 185×
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DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10

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