Exercise is NOT key to weight control

You might want to hold off on doing another set of squats.
Exercise may not be the key to controlling weight - your diet is, a new study claims.
Scientists found that neither physical activity nor sedentary time were associated with weight gain.
Past studies have proven that physical activity has many health benefits including lowering the risk of heart disease and diabetes.

But new research has shown that it may also increase appetite, leading you to compensate by eating more or by being less active the rest of the day.
The study, conducted at Loyola University Chicago, studied adults from the United States and four other countries: Ghana, South Africa, Jamaica and Seychelles.
Previous research has found that when people are asked about their physical activity, they tended to overstate the amount they performed.
To provide a more objective measure, participants wore tracking devices called accelerometers on their waists for a week. The devices measured the wearers' energy expenditure and step count.
Researchers measured the participants' weight, height and body fat. After an initial exam, they were asked to return one year and then two years later.
At the initial visit, Ghana participants had the lowest average weights (139 pounds for both men and women), and Americans the highest weights (202 pounds for women, 206 pounds for men).
The Ghanaians also were fitter than Americans with 76 percent of Ghanaian men and 44 percent of Ghanaian women meeting the US Surgeon General physical activity guidelines.
Only 44 percent of American men and 20 percent of American women met the guidelines.
The guidelines recommend completing at least two and a half hours of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise (such as brisk walking) per week. But surprisingly for the researchers, total weight gain in every country was greater among participants who met the physical activity guidelines.
In one example, the American men who met the guidelines gained a half pound per year, while American men who did not meet the guideline lost 0.6 pounds.
Lead author Dr Lara Dugas, an assistant professor at the Department of Public Health Sciences of Loyola University, said: 'The media is telling us that that more physical activity is needed to manage weight.

'But we saw that what actually predicted weight gain was your baseline starting weight - whether you were already overweight or obese when started or you needed to gain more weight.'
Dr Dugas added that it was in fact diet that played a larger factor in weight management.
She said: 'The problem is the intake side of the equation. There's not enough emphasis on what our portion sizes are and what we're eating than what is the sexiest, or latest fad diet.'
The researchers had found that the American participants ate almost 1,000 calories more than the Ghanian participants.
'Obesity is a multifactorial disease. The epidemic didn't happen overnight by driving instead of walking,' Dr Dugas said.
'Physical activity is very important. It is the number one predictor of mortality and morbidity.
'But we're trying to change the mindset that exercise is what slims you down. What we would say is exercise well for your heart, but eat well for your weight.'
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