Exercise is an effective intervention in overweight and obese patients.

Exercise leads to a weight loss of 1 lb, 2 oz to 16 lb, 12 oz (0.5 to 7.6 kg), compared with a 3-oz (0.1-kg) weight loss to a weight gain of 1 lb, 9 oz (0.7 kg) with no treatment. Patients participating in higher-intensity exercise lose 3 lb, 5 oz (1.5 kg) more than those participating in low-intensity exercise. Regardless of whether the patient loses weight, exercise improves diastolic blood pressure and triglyceride, high-density lipoprotein, and glucose levels. When a low-calorie diet is compared with exercise alone, a low-calorie diet leads to more weight loss (6 lb, 3 oz to 29 lb, 16 oz [2.8 to 13.6 kg] versus 1 lb, 2 oz to 16 lb, 12 oz). However, trials with three to 12 months of follow-up show that participants who combine a low-calorie diet with exercise lose 2 lb, 7 oz (1.1 kg) more than those who only diet.