Abstract
Obesity has become a worldwide problem of pandemic proportions. By definition, obesity is the accumulation of excess body fat and it represents the long-term results of positive energy and fat balance. The failures in the regulatory mechanisms leading to the development of obesity are still not well understood, but there is growing evidence that exercise is an important element in obesity prevention. Exercise promotes energy/fat balance while providing beneficial alterations to obesity/overweight-related comorbidities and mortality. Also, exercise, in large part, influences whether the fate of dietary fat is storage or oxidation. Many factors including intensity, duration and type (aerobic vs anaerobic) of exercise, energy expended during exercise and individual fitness level impact the amounts of fat oxidised at any given time. Evidence suggests that moderate-intensity exercise yields the most cumulative (during and post-exercise) fat grams used for substrate in the average individual. All intensities of exercise, however, promote fat oxidation during the post-exercise period. We suggest that it is the effects of exercise on 24-hour fat balance that are most important in understanding the role of exercise in the prevention of fat accumulation and obesity.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Flegal KM, Carroll MD, Ogden CL, et al. Prevalence and trends in obesity among US adults, 1999–2000. JAMA 2002 Oct 9; 288 (14): 1723–7
Sturm R. Increases in clinically severe obesity in the United States, 1986–2000. Arch Intern Med 2003 Oct 13; 163 (18): 2146–8
Ogden CL, Flegal KM, Carroll MD, et al. Prevalence and trends in overweight among US children and adolescents, 1999–2000. JAMA 2002 Oct 9; 288 (14): 1728–32
Garfinkel L. Overweight and mortality. Cancer 1986 Oct 15; 58 (8 Suppl.): 1826–9
Allison DB, Fontaine KR, Manson JE, et al. Annual deaths attributable to obesity in the United States. JAMA 1999 Oct 27; 282 (16): 1530–8
Wolf AM, Colditz GA. Current estimates of the economic cost of obesity in the United States. Obes Res 1998 Mar; 6 (2): 97–106
National Institutes of Health. Clinical guidelines on the identification, evaluation, and treatment of overweight and obesity in adults: the evidence report. Obes Res 1998 Sep; 6 Suppl. 2: 51S-209S
Hagan RD, Upton SJ, Wong L, et al. The effects of aerobic conditioning and/or caloric restriction in overweight men and women. Med Sci Sports Exerc 1986 Feb; 18 (1): 87–94
Ross R, Dagnone D, Jones PJ, et al. Reduction in obesity and related comorbid conditions after diet-induced weight loss or exercise-induced weight loss in men: a randomized, controlled trial. Ann Intern Med 2000 Jul 18; 133 (2): 92–103
Miller WC, Koceja DM, Hamilton EJ. A meta-analysis of the past 25 years of weight loss research using diet, exercise or diet plus exercise intervention. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord 1997 Oct; 21 (10): 941–7
Garrow JS, Summerbell CD. Meta-analysis: effect of exercise, with or without dieting, on the body composition of overweight subjects. Eur J Clin Nutr 1995 Jan; 49 (1): 1–10
Votruba SB, Horvitz MA, Schoeller DA. The role of exercise in the treatment of obesity. Nutrition 2000 Mar; 16 (3): 179–88
Pavlou KN, Krey S, Steffee WP. Exercise as an adjunct to weight loss and maintenance in moderately obese subjects. Am J Clin Nutr 1989 May; 49 (5 Suppl.): 1115–23
Jakicic JM, Winters C, Lang W, et al. Effects of intermittent exercise and use of home exercise equipment on adherence, weight loss, and fitness in overweight women: a randomized trial. JAMA 1999 Oct 27; 282 (16): 1554–60
Jakicic JM, Marcus BH, Gallagher KI, et al. Effect of exercise duration and intensity on weight loss in overweight, sedentary women: a randomized trial. JAMA 2003 Sep 10; 290 (10): 1323–30
Saris WH. Exercise with or without dietary restriction and obesity treatment. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord 1995 Oct; 19 Suppl. 4: S113–6
Physical activity and health: a report of the Surgeon General, executive summary. Pittsburgh (PA): US Dept of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion: President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, 1996: 13–4
Kesaniemi YK, Danforth Jr E, Jensen MD, et al. Dose-response issues concerning physical activity and health: an evidence-based symposium. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2001 Jun; 33 (6 Suppl.): S351–8
Hellerstein MK. De novo lipogenesis in humans: metabolic and regulatory aspects. Eur J Clin Nutr 1999 Apr; 53 Suppl. 1: S53–65
Aarsland A, Chinkes D, Wolfe RR. Hepatic and whole-body fat synthesis in humans during carbohydrate overfeeding. Am J Clin Nutr 1997 Jun; 65 (6): 1774–82
Acheson KJ, Schutz Y, Bessard T, et al. Glycogen storage capacity and de novo lipogenesis during massive carbohydrate overfeeding in man. Am J Clin Nutr 1988 Aug; 48 (2): 240–7
Schrauwen P, van Marken Lichtenbelt WD, Saris WH, et al. Changes in fat oxidation in response to a high-fat diet. Am J Clin Nutr 1997 Aug; 66 (2): 276–82
Smith SR, de Jonge L, Zachwieja JJ, et al. Concurrent physical activity increases fat oxidation during the shift to a high-fat diet. Am J Clin Nutr 2000 Jul; 72 (1): 131–8
Smith SR, de Jonge L, Zachwieja JJ, et al. Fat and carbohydrate balances during adaptation to a high-fat. Am J Clin Nutr 2000 Feb; 71 (2): 450–7
Guo ZK, Cella LK, Baum C, et al. De novo lipogenesis in adipose tissue of lean and obese women: application of deuterated water and isotope ratio mass spectrometry. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord 2000 Jul; 24 (7): 932–7
Pavlou KN, Whatley JE, Jannace PW, et al. Physical activity as a supplement to a weight-loss dietary regimen. Am J Clin Nutr 1989 May; 49 (5 Suppl.): 1110–4
Stefanick ML. Exercise and weight control. Exerc Sport Sci Rev 1993; 21: 363–96
van Loon LJ, Koopman R, Stegen JH, et al. Intramyocellular lipids form an important substrate source during moderate intensity exercise in endurance-trained males in a fasted state. J Physiol 2003 Dec 1; 553 (Pt 2): 611–25
Romijn JA, Coyle EF, Sidossis LS, et al. Regulation of endogenous fat and carbohydrate metabolism in relation to exercise intensity and duration. Am J Physiol 1993 Sep; 265 (3 Pt 1): E380–91
Romijn JA, Coyle EF, Sidossis LS, et al. Substrate metabolism during different exercise intensities in endurance-trained women. J Appl Physiol 2000 May; 88 (5): 1707–14
Achten J, Gleeson M, Jeukendrup AE. Determination of the exercise intensity that elicits maximal fat oxidation. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2002 Jan; 34 (1): 92–7
Havel RJ, Pernow B, Jones NL. Uptake and release of free fatty acids and other metabolites in the legs of exercising men. J Appl Physiol 1967 Jul; 23 (1): 90–9
Oscai LB, Essig DA, Palmer WK. Lipase regulation of muscle triglyceride hydrolysis. J Appl Physiol 1990 Nov; 69 (5): 1571–7
van Loon LJ, Greenhaff PL, Constantin-Teodosiu D, et al. The effects of increasing exercise intensity on muscle fuel utilisation in humans. J Physiol 2001 Oct 1; 536 (Pt 1): 295–304
Watt MJ, Heigenhauser GJ, Spriet LL. Intramuscular triacylglycerol utilization in human skeletal muscle during exercise: is there a controversy? J Appl Physiol 2002 Oct; 93 (4): 1185–95
Guo Z. Triglyceride content in skeletal muscle: variability and the source. Anal Biochem 2001 Sep 1; 296 (1): 1–8
Christmass MA, Dawson B, Passeretto P, et al. A comparison of skeletal muscle oxygenation and fuel use in sustained continuous and intermittent exercise. Eur J Appl Physiol Occup Physiol 1999 Oct; 80 (5): 423–35
Ainslie PN, Abbas K, Campbell IT, et al. Metabolic and appetite responses to prolonged walking under three isoenergetic diets. J Appl Physiol 2002 May; 92 (5): 2061–70
Hawley JA, Burke LM, Angus DJ, et al. Effect of altering substrate availability on metabolism and performance during intense exercise. Br J Nutr 2000 Dec; 84 (6): 829–38
Whitley HA, Humphreys SM, Campbell IT, et al. Metabolic and performance responses during endurance exercise after high-fat and high-carbohydrate meals. J Appl Physiol 1998 Aug; 85 (2): 418–24
Schrauwen P, van Marken Lichtenbelt WD, Saris WH, et al. Role of glycogen-lowering exercise in the change of fat oxidation in response to a high-fat diet. Am J Physiol 1997 Sep; 273 (3 Pt 1): E623–9
Burke LM, Hawley JA, Angus DJ, et al. Adaptations to short-term high-fat diet persist during exercise despite high carbohydrate availability. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2002 Jan; 34 (1): 83–91
Ellis GS, Lanza-Jacoby S, Gow A, et al. Effects of estradiol on lipoprotein lipase activity and lipid availability in exercised male rats. J Appl Physiol 1994 Jul; 77 (1): 209–15
Hatta H, Atomi Y, Shinohara S, et al. The effects of ovarian hormones on glucose and fatty acid oxidation during exercise in female ovariectomized rats. Horm Metab Res 1988 Oct; 20 (10): 609–11
Kendrick ZV, Ellis GS. Effect of estradiol on tissue glycogen metabolism and lipid availability in exercised male rats. J Appl Physiol 1991 Nov; 71 (5): 1694–9
Kendrick ZV, Steffen CA, Rumsey WL, et al. effect of estradiol on tissue glycogen metabolism in exercised oophorectomized rats. J Appl Physiol 1987 Aug; 63 (2): 492–6
Rooney TP, Kendrick ZV, Carlson J, et al. Effect of estradiol on the temporal pattern of exercise-induced tissue glycogen depletion in male rats. J Appl Physiol 1993 Oct; 75 (4): 1502–6
Hamosh M, Hamosh P. The effect of estrogen on the lipoprotein lipase activity of rat adipose tissue. J Clin Invest 1975 May; 55 (5): 1132–5
Ramirez I. Estradiol-induced changes in lipoprotein lipase, eating, and body weight in rats. Am J Physiol 1981 May; 240 (5): E533–8
Wilson DE, Flowers CM, Carlile SI, et al. Estrogen treatment and gonadal function in the regulation of lipoprotein lipase. Atherosclerosis 1976 Sep; 24 (3): 491–9
Carter SL, Rennie C, Tarnopolsky MA. Substrate utilization during endurance exercise in men and women after endurance training. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab 2001 Jun; 280 (6): E898–907
Froberg K, Pedersen PK. Sex differences in endurance capacity and metabolic response to prolonged, heavy exercise. Eur J Appl Physiol Occup Physiol 1984; 52 (4): 446–50
Horton TJ, Pagliassotti MJ, Hobbs K, et al. Fuel metabolism in men and women during and after long-duration exercise. J Appl Physiol 1998 Nov; 85 (5): 1823–32
Tarnopolsky LJ, MacDougall JD, Atkinson SA, et al. Gender differences in substrate for endurance exercise. J Appl Physiol 1990 Jan; 68 (1): 302–8
Burguera B, Proctor D, Dietz N, et al. Leg free fatty acid kinetics during exercise in men and women. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab 2000 Jan; 278 (1): E113–7
Costill DL, Fink WJ, Getchell LH, et al. Lipid metabolism in skeletal muscle of endurance-trained males and females. J Appl Physiol 1979 Oct; 47 (4): 787–91
Keim NL, Belko AZ, Barbieri TF. Body fat percentage and gender: associations with exercise energy expenditure, substrate utilization, and mechanical work efficiency. Int J Sport Nutr 1996 Dec; 6 (4): 356–69
Mittendorfer B, Horowitz JF, Klein S. Effect of gender on lipid kinetics during endurance exercise of moderate intensity in untrained subjects. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab 2002 Jul; 283 (1): E58–65
Ruby BC, Robergs RA. Gender differences in substrate utilisation during exercise. Sports Med 1994 Jun; 17 (6): 393–410
Tarnopolsky MA. Gender differences in metabolism; nutrition and supplements. J Sci Med Sport 2000 Sep; 3 (3): 287–98
Friedlander AL, Casazza GA, Horning MA, et al. Training-induced alterations of carbohydrate metabolism in women: women respond differently from men. J Appl Physiol 1998 Sep; 85 (3): 1175–86
Lamont LS, McCullough AJ, Kalhan SC. Gender differences in leucine, but not lysine, kinetics. J Appl Physiol 2001 Jul; 91 (1): 357–62
Ruby BC, Coggan AR, Zderic TW. Gender differences in glucose kinetics and substrate oxidation during exercise near the lactate threshold. J Appl Physiol 2002 Mar; 92 (3): 1125–32
Ruby BC, Robergs RA, Waters DL, et al. Effects of estradiol on substrate turnover during exercise in amenorrheic females. Med Sci Sports Exerc 1997 Sep; 29 (9): 1160–9
Zderic TW, Coggan AR, Ruby BC. Glucose kinetics and substrate oxidation during exercise in the follicular and luteal phases. J Appl Physiol 2001 Feb; 90 (2): 447–53
Gill JM, Hardman AE. Postprandial lipemia: effects of exercise and restriction of energy intake compared. Am J Clin Nutr 2000 Feb; 71 (2): 465–71
Gill JM, Mees GP, Frayn KN, et al. Moderate exercise, postprandial lipaemia and triacylglycerol clearance. Eur J Clin Invest 2001 Mar; 31 (3): 201–7
Malkova D, Evans RD, Frayn KN, et al. Prior exercise and postprandial substrate extraction across the human leg. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab 2000 Nov; 279 (5): E1020–8
Tsetsonis NV, Hardman AE. Reduction in postprandial lipemia after walking: influence of exercise intensity. Med Sci Sports Exerc 1996 Oct; 28 (10): 1235–42
Votruba SB, Atkinson RL, Hirvonen MD, et al. Prior exercise increases subsequent utilization of dietary fat. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2002 Nov; 34 (11): 1757–65
Zhang JQ, Thomas TR, Ball SD. Effect of exercise timing on postprandial lipemia and hdl cholesterol subfractions. J Appl Physiol 1998 Oct; 85 (4): 1516–22
Binzen CA, Swan PD, Manore MM. Postexercise oxygen consumption and substrate use after resistance exercise in women. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2001 Jun; 33 (6): 932–8
Hunter GR, Wetzstein CJ, Fields DA, et al. Resistance training increases total energy expenditure and free-living physical activity in older adults. J Appl Physiol 2000 Sep; 89 (3): 977–84
Krishnan RK, Evans WJ, Kirwan JP. Impaired substrate oxidation in healthy elderly men after eccentric exercise. J Appl Physiol 2003 Feb; 94 (2): 716–23
Osterberg KL, Melby CL. Effect of acute resistance exercise on postexercise oxygen consumption and resting metabolic rate in young women. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab 2000 Mar; 10 (1): 71–81
Petitt DS, Arngrimsson SA, Cureton KJ. Effect of resistance exercise on postprandial lipemia. J Appl Physiol 2003 Feb; 94 (2): 694–700
Gill JM, Herd SL, Tsetsonis NV, et al. Are the reductions in triacylglycerol and insulin levels after exercise related? Clin Sci (Lond) 2002 Feb; 102 (2): 223–31
Tsetsonis NV, Hardman AE. Effects of low and moderate intensity treadmill walking on postprandial lipaemia in healthy young adults. Eur J Appl Physiol Occup Physiol 1996; 73 (5): 419–26
Thompson DL, Townsend KM, Boughey R, et al. Substrate use during and following moderate- and low-intensity exercise: implications for weight control. Eur J Appl Physiol Occup Physiol 1998 Jun; 78 (1): 43–9
Gill JM, Frayn KN, Wootton SA, et al. Effects of prior moderate exercise on exogenous and endogenous lipid metabolism and plasma factor vii activity. Clin Sci (Lond) 2001 May; 100 (5): 517–27
Folch N, Peronnet F, Massicotte D, et al. Metabolic response to a large starch meal after rest and exercise: comparison between men and women. Eur J Clin Nutr 2003 Sep; 57 (9): 1107–15
Folch N, Peronnet F, Massicotte D, et al. Metabolic response to small and large 13c-labelled pasta meals following rest or exercise in man. Br J Nutr 2001 Jun; 85 (6): 671–80
Borsheim E, Bahr R. Effect of exercise intensity, duration and mode on post-exercise oxygen consumption. Sports Med 2003; 33 (14): 1037–60
Burleson Jr MA, O’Bryant HS, Stone MH, et al. Effect of weight training exercise and treadmill exercise on post-exercise oxygen consumption. Med Sci Sports Exerc 1998 Apr; 30 (4): 518–22
Melanson EL, Sharp TA, Seagle HM, et al. resistance and aerobic exercise have similar effects on 24-h nutrient oxidation. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2002 Nov; 34 (11): 1793–800
Gill JM, Hardman AE. Exercise and postprandial lipid metabolism: an update on potential mechanisms and interactions with high-carbohydrate diets. J Nutr Biochem 2003 Mar; 14 (3): 122–32
Pilegaard H, Ordway GA, Saltin B, et al. Transcriptional regulation of gene expression in human skeletal muscle during recovery from exercise. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab 2000 Oct; 279 (4): E806–14
Neufer PD, Dohm GL. Exercise induces a transient increase in transcription of the glut-4 gene in skeletal muscle. Am J Physiol 1993 Dec; 265 (6 Pt 1): C1597–603
Aldred HE, Hardman AE, Taylor S. Influence of 12 weeks of training by brisk walking on postprandial lipemia and insulinemia in sedentary middle-aged women. Metabolism 1995 Mar; 44 (3): 390–7
Wirth A, Diehm C, Hanel W, et al. Training-induced changes in serum lipids, fat tolerance, and adipose tissue metabolism in patients with hypertriglyceridemia. Atherosclerosis 1985 Mar; 54 (3): 263–71
Hardman AE, Lawrence JE, Herd SL. Postprandial lipemia in endurance-trained people during a short interruption to training. J Appl Physiol 1998 Jun; 84 (6): 1895–901
Herd SL, Lawrence JE, Malkova D, et al. Postprandial lipemia in young men and women of contrasting training status. J Appl Physiol 2000 Nov; 89 (5): 2049–56
Tsetsonis NV, Hardman AE, Mastana SS. Acute effects of exercise on postprandial lipemia: a comparative study in trained and untrained middle-aged women. Am J Clin Nutr 1997 Feb; 65 (2): 525–33
Davy KP, Horton T, Davy BM, et al. Regulation of macronutrient balance in healthy young and older men. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord 2001 Oct; 25 (10): 1497–502
Speakman JR, Stubbs RJ, Mercer JG. Does body mass play a role in the regulation of food intake? Proc Nutr Soc 2002 Nov; 61 (4): 473–87
Shepard TY, Weil KM, Sharp TA, et al. Occasional physical inactivity combined with a high-fat diet may be important in the development and maintenance of obesity in human subjects. Am J Clin Nutr 2001 Apr; 73 (4): 703–8
Acknowledgements
This manuscript was partially supported by National Institutes of Health (NIH) grants DK30031 and M01 RR03186. The authors have no conflicts of interest that are directly relevant to the content of this review, with the potential exception that Dr Schoeller is a member of the Dairy Management Inc. Scientific Review Board.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Hansen, K., Shriver, T. & Schoeller, D. The Effects of Exercise on the Storage and Oxidation of Dietary Fat. Sports Med 35, 363–373 (2005). https://doi.org/10.2165/00007256-200535050-00001
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.2165/00007256-200535050-00001