American Heart Association issues activity statement

The American Heart Association on June 1 published a scientific statement calling for physical activity to be treated as a central part of obesity care, saying exercise improves cardiometabolic health even when body weight does not fall. The statement appeared in *Circulation*, the group’s flagship peer-reviewed journal. The association said the document is meant to complement lifestyle, drug and surgical approaches used in obesity treatment. U.S. obesity affects 42% of adults, according to the association’s accompanying summary. ### What did the statement actually say about exercise and weight loss? The June 1 statement said physical activity should not be judged only by whether it moves the scale. The document said exercise can improve blood pressure, blood sugar control, blood lipids, cardiorespiratory fitness and long-term cardiovascular outcomes even when weight loss is modest or absent. (newsroom.heart.org) The American Heart Association said physical activity is a “key component” of comprehensive obesity treatment. Its summary said the evidence supports using exercise alongside nutrition changes, anti-obesity medications and bariatric surgery rather than treating it as an optional add-on. ### Who wrote it, and where was it published? *Circulation* published the statement under the title “Role of Physical Activity in Obesity Treatment and Cardiometabolic Health.” The paper was written on behalf of several American Heart Association councils, including the Council on Lifestyle and Cardiometabolic Health, the Council on Cardiovascular and Stroke Nursing, the Council on Clinical Cardiology, the Council on Hypertension and the Stroke Council. (ahajournals.org) Leanna Ross of Duke University and Damon Swift of the University of Virginia were listed by the American Heart Association’s Professional Heart Daily page as authors of the “Top Things to Know” summary that accompanied the release. The full paper also lists multiple scientific contributors writing on behalf of the association councils. (ahajournals.org) ### What benefits did the group highlight beyond body weight? The American Heart Association’s newsroom release said regular movement helps heart health even if weight does not change. Its summary highlighted improvements in blood pressure, glycemic control and fitness, and said those gains matter because obesity is closely linked to cardiovascular disease risk factors. (professional.heart.org) The paper abstract said the statement reviews the role of physical activity in promoting weight loss, weight-loss maintenance and cardiometabolic health. It said the goal was to summarize evidence across obesity treatment strategies rather than focus only on pounds lost. ### How does this fit with the group’s broader obesity guidance? The American Heart Association in January published a separate scientific statement saying time constraints, financial barriers, neighborhood factors and weight stigma can hinder obesity prevention and treatment. (newsroom.heart.org) The new activity statement adds to that recent obesity guidance by focusing specifically on exercise within clinical care. (ahajournals.org) The association’s weight-and-obesity materials say excess weight is tied to cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic health, including blood pressure and insulin resistance. The new statement keeps that focus on heart and metabolic risk rather than appearance or short-term weight change alone. ### Where can readers find the document and what comes next? The American Heart Association said the statement is available through *Circulation* and through its Professional Heart Daily science pages. (newsroom.heart.org) The group also posted a newsroom release on June 1 summarizing the findings and a companion “Top Things to Know” page for clinicians and other readers. (heart.org) Medical Xpress carried a health-news summary on June 2 that highlighted the statement’s main message. The next step for readers is the full June 1 *Circulation* paper, which lays out the evidence review behind the association’s recommendations. (ahajournals.org) (newsroom.heart.org)