Is there a perfect time to work out for obese? Science seems to think so
While there’s been ongoing debate about the best time for physical activity in relation to weight control, new findings suggest that exercising between 7 a.m. and 9 a.m. might be the golden window.
This insight comes from a recent study published in Obesity, the esteemed journal of The Obesity Society (TOS).
Dr. Tongyu Ma, an assistant professor from Franklin Pierce University and The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, led the research.
The researcher highlightes, “Our study provided a novel tool to explore the diurnal pattern of physical activity and to investigate its impact on health outcomes.”
Historically, the spotlight has been on how often, how intensely, and how long we should exercise. But the timing? Not so much. The recent study shifts focus, assessing if the specific time of day when we engage in moderate to intense activity affects our weight and overall health.
The research leaned on data from the 2003-2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. This period was chosen as it marked the introduction of accelerometry—a method to measure physical activity.
Out of 5,285 participants, the team discerned three main activity patterns throughout the day: morning, mid-day, and evening, thanks to the K-means clustering analysis.
Notably, the morning exercisers displayed a more direct link between their physical activity and lower obesity rates. These early birds had not only lower body mass indexes and waistlines but also reported healthier eating habits.
Surprisingly, they also reported more sedentary behavior than their counterparts but maintained better weight outcomes.
Demographically, this early-active group was intriguing. They were older by a decade or so, had a predominantly female representation, were largely non-Hispanic White, educated, and tended not to smoke or drink.
The study concludes by suggesting that when we exercise might be as crucial as how we exercise.
“Our findings propose that the diurnal pattern of moderate to vigorous physical activity could be another important dimension to describe the complexity of human movement,” writes Dr. Ma in the study.
Dr. Rebecca Krukowski, an expert in behavioral weight management, finds the research compelling. She notes, “This is exciting new research that is consistent with a common tip for meeting exercise goals—that is, schedule exercise in the morning before emails, phone calls or meetings that might distract you.”
However, she cautions against jumping to conclusions. This study’s design doesn’t clarify if morning exercisers inherently differ from those active at other times. Aspects like stable daily routines, sleep habits, and even inherent biological differences between early risers and night owls could play a role and warrant further research.
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