Early Morning Exercise May Be Best for Weight Control
U.S. News & World Report By Alan Mozes HealthDay Reporter
TUESDAY, Sept. 19, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- When it comes to staying trim, timing may be everything.
That's according to new research that found adults who routinely engaged in moderate-to-vigorous exercise early in the morning were less likely to be overweight or obese than those who worked out later in the day.
For individuals who exercise regularly, their body mass index [BMI] is 2 units lower and waist circumference is 1.5 inches shorter if they exercise in the early morning than in other times of day, said study author Tongyu Ma, an assistant professor of exercise physiology at Franklin Pierce University in Rindge, N.H.
America's 25 Healthiest Communities
View All 29 Slides
BMI and waist circumference are considered two key measures of obesity risk.
The upshot, said Ma, is that a morning workout is a promising tool for weight management.
To explore the question, investigators tracked obesity status among nearly 5,300 adult men and women. All were enrolled in the ongoing U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, either between 2003 to 2004 or between 2005 to 2006.
