The National Taiwan University researchers designed a study to attempt to pinpoint specific types of physical activity that are most effective for those individuals who are genetically prone to obesity, findings are published in the journal PLOS Genetics.
More than 1.9 billion adults and 340 million children and adolescents were obese in 2016 according to W.H.O. doctors recommend exercise to combat this condition, but little is known about what kind of exercises may benefit those who have obesity genes.
Genetics and self reported exercise routines of 18,424 adults between the ages of 30-70 were analyzed focussing on the 5 measures of obesity including BMI, body fat percentage, and waist to hip ratio.
Regular jogging was revealed to be the best exercise for managing obesity among those with higher genetic risk, additional recommendations for this group include walking, power walking, dancing, long yoga practices, and mountain climbing. Cycling, swimming, dance revolution, and stretching exercises did not counteract the genetic effects on obesity.
As the epidemic of obesity continues to grow around the globe the benefits of regular physical exercise can’t be overstated. Based on these findings when it comes to obesity the hereditary risks can be reduced by participating in specific types of exercise on a regular basis.