If you’re trying to keep extra weight off, you might be wondering if hitting the gym or improving your meals makes the biggest difference. According to new research, the answer is simpler than you think: do both.
A comprehensive seven-year study following nearly 7,300 British adults reveals that combining improved nutrition with increased physical activity is more effective than focusing on either strategy alone.
Because the combination matters
Dr Shayan Aryannezhad, who led the study while working at the University of Cambridge’s Medical Research Council (MRC), explained the findings: “We found that combining better nutrition with more physical activity is an effective way to improve not only weight, but also how much and where fat is stored in the body.”
There is an important added benefit to this dual approach, according to Aryannezhad, who now works as a clinical researcher at the University of Oxford: “It is particularly effective in reducing the accumulation of harmful fat around the organs.”
Not all fat loss is created equal
The research team designed their study to examine which types of body fat respond best to different weight management strategies—an often overlooked aspect of weight loss.
Aryannezhad explained in a Cambridge news release: “When people talk about changes in body weight, they are often referring to a number on the scale. But not all weight loss or weight gain is the same. First of all, we need to focus on fat mass when looking at the risk of metabolic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease.
The study authors pointed out that visceral fat – the type that accumulates around internal organs – poses particular health risks. This dangerous fat has strong links to type 2 diabetes, fatty liver disease and cardiovascular disease.
Study details and findings
Published Nov. 21 in JAMA Network Open, the research followed about 7,300 British participants who were an average of 49 years old at the start of the study. For seven years, the researchers tracked their eating habits, physical activity levels and body fat distribution.
Participants who focused solely on one improvement—either following a heart-healthy Mediterranean diet more closely or increasing their daily exercise—experienced some protection against weight gain, including reduced fat accumulation both under the skin and around organs. However, these benefits were relatively modest when either approach was used alone.
The real breakthrough came from those who stepped up both their eating habits and their activity levels at the same time. This combined strategy yielded significantly better results.
According to the study’s conclusion, people who adopted both lifestyle changes gained about 4 pounds less on average over the seven-year period compared to those who maintained their usual habits. Even more important, they accumulated about 150 grams (about 5 ounces) less visceral fat—the particularly harmful type that surrounds organs.
When the researchers conducted a deeper analysis, they discovered that the combination of diet and exercise proved particularly powerful in preventing the accumulation of visceral fat.
The bigger picture on healthy aging
Senior study author Nita Forouhi, who leads programs at MRC Epidemiology, highlighted the wider health implications in the news release: “Our research shows that improvements in diet with more physical activity in midlife not only lead to weight loss, but can potentially help prevent disease and support healthier ageing. both for healthier diets and for increased energy expenditure”.
The takeaway is encouraging: you don’t have to choose between exercise and healthy eating. Making incremental, sustainable improvements in both areas can provide significant health benefits that extend far beyond the number on your scale.
