Exercising 75 minutes once a week as effective as spread-out sessions for fat loss: study

Individuals struggling to fit in multiple workouts per week may find a new strategy effective: consolidating exercise into a single session. A study involving 315 adults with obesity and abdominal obesity suggests that exercising 75 minutes once a week can be as effective as spreading the same amount of activity over three days.

The research, published in Nature Communications, tracked participants for 16 weeks. One group engaged in high-intensity interval walking for 75 minutes in a single session, while another group divided the same total exercise time into three 25-minute sessions. A control group received health education only.

Results showed that both exercise groups experienced significant reductions in body fat and waist circumference compared to the control group. The single-session group saw a 2.6% decrease in total body fat, and the three-session group saw a 3.5% decrease, with no statistically significant difference between them. Cardiorespiratory fitness also improved similarly in both groups.

Parko Siu, a researcher involved in the study, noted that while multiple interval sessions are typically recommended, time constraints often hinder adherence. "Once-a-week interval exercise can be a realistic and effective option," he stated, highlighting its potential for busy individuals like working professionals, students, and parents.

However, the study's authors caution against interpreting these findings as a license to exercise only once a week. The key was maintaining the total weekly volume of 75 minutes of high-intensity activity. Furthermore, the study focused on overweight and obese adults who were previously sedentary, and the long-term effects, particularly on visceral fat, require further investigation. Sustained physical activity is still necessary for maintaining benefits.

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Existing recommendations have suggested more than three interval workouts per week for obesity management, but lack of time is one of the biggest reasons why many adults cannot continue exercising. Once-a-week interval exercise can be a realistic and effective option.