The objective of this study was to examine weight changes associated with different physical activity levels in a large cohort of women who were followed for 13 years. This study sample including 34,079 women (mean age: 54.2 years) derived from the Women’s Health Study. This study reported an overall weight gain over time. In a stratified analysis, results showed that in comparison with women who engaged in the equivalent of 420 minutes per week of moderate-intensity physical activity, the two other groups that performed either 150-420 minutes per week or <150 minutes per week gained significantly more weight. Moreover, there was no difference in weight gain between the two less active groups. In addition, the authors observed that the association between physical activity and weight gain was different according to levels of body mass index. For instance, physical activity was inversely related to weight gain only among normal weight women whereas no relation was observed among heavier women. These results suggest that 60 minutes per day of moderate-intensity physical activity is needed to maintain normal weight and prevent weight gain without caloric restriction, but this association is only observed among normal-weight women. On the other hand, these results suggest that heavier women require controlling their caloric intake for weight maintenance.
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