The American College of Sports Medicine published a Position Stand on appropriate physical activity intervention strategies for weight loss and maintenance in adults. Recent evidence supports moderate-intensity physical activity between 150-250 minutes/week in order to prevent weight gain. Moderate-intensity physical activity between 150-250 minutes/week only generates modest weight loss, and greater amounts (>250 minutes/week) are associated with clinically significant weight loss. Results of cross-sectional and prospective studies indicate that after weight loss, weight maintenance is likely to be more successful with physical activity >250 minutes/week. However, no study has been performed to specifically answer this question. Resistance training does not enhance weight loss but increases fat-free mass and loss of fat mass and is also associated with health benefits. There is literature indicating that physical activity (either endurance or resistance) without weight loss is associated with improvements in health risk. However, there is no adequate evidence on whether physical activity prevents or attenuates harmful changes in chronic disease risk observed during weight gain.
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