Beyond weight loss: the value of physical activity and exercise for improving cardiometabolic risk factors in individuals with overweight and obesity

de Roos, BM, Monpellier, VM, Hansen, D, Eijsvogels, TMH, Thijssen, DHJ ORCID: 0000-0002-7707-5567 and Karregat, JHM (2026) Beyond weight loss: the value of physical activity and exercise for improving cardiometabolic risk factors in individuals with overweight and obesity. Netherlands Heart Journal, 34. pp. 330-340. ISSN 1568-5888

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Abstract

The global prevalence of overweight and obesity has increased markedly over recent decades. In clinical obesity care, and in the management of other chronic conditions, the role of physical exercise has largely been evaluated in the context of weight loss. Yet, while it only leads to modest changes in body weight, structured exercise provides extensive health benefits beyond weight loss. A multimodal exercise approach, progressing from reducing sedentary time to incorporating aerobic and resistance training, can provide an effective strategy to improve cardiovascular and metabolic health and body composition. Moreover, integrating structured exercise into surgical and pharmacological obesity care trajectories may support long-term, post-treatment health improvements. This narrative review synthesizes evidence on the effect of exercise on cardiometabolic health and body composition in individuals with overweight and obesity. Furthermore, we also examine the role of structured exercise in supporting cardiometabolic health and preserving skeletal muscle mass during surgical and pharmacological obesity treatment.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Overweight; Obesity; Cardiometabolic Risk Factors; Exercise Training; Aerobic Exercise; Resistance Training; Aerobic Exercise; Cardiometabolic Risk Factors; Exercise Training; Obesity; Overweight; Resistance Training; 32 Biomedical and Clinical Sciences; 4206 Public Health; 42 Health Sciences; 3202 Clinical Sciences; Physical Activity; Clinical Trials and Supportive Activities; Rehabilitation; Prevention; Childhood Obesity; Obesity; Nutrition; Behavioral and Social Science; Pediatric Research Initiative; Cardiovascular; Physical Rehabilitation; Clinical Research; 6.7 Physical; Generic health relevance; Cardiovascular; Oral and gastrointestinal; Musculoskeletal; Metabolic and endocrine; Cancer; Stroke; 3 Good Health and Well Being; Cardiovascular System & Hematology
Subjects:	R Medicine > RA Public aspects of medicine > RA0421 Public health. Hygiene. Preventive Medicine R Medicine > RC Internal medicine > RC1200 Sports Medicine
Divisions:	Sport and Exercise Sciences
Publisher:	Springer
Date of acceptance:	5 August 2026
Date of first compliant Open Access:	5 October 2026
Date Deposited:	05 Oct 2026 14:49
Last Modified:	05 Oct 2026 14:49
DOI or ID number:	10.1007/s12471-026-02076-0
URI:	https://researchonline.ljmu.ac.uk/id/eprint/29609

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