Exercising during weight regain following a diet can maintain improvements in metabolic health, according to a new study.

Researchers at the University of Missouri, US, examined overweight men and women with metabolic syndrome (MetS). Participants were given a diet and aerobic exercise plan that included supervised exercise five days a week for 4 to 6 months.

After they lost weight, the group was split into two groups: one that exercised and one that didn’t. Predictably, the non-exercise group experienced deterioration in weight loss-induced benefits to metabolic health, while the exercise group improvements in almost all measures including cholesterol, oxygen consumption, blood pressure and glucose.

However, exercise didn’t maintain blood cholesterol or abdominal fat loss.

Tom Thomas, professor at the Department of Nutrition and Exercise Physiology in the College of Human Environmental Sciences, led the study. He said: “It’s clear that the message to lose weight isn’t working because so many people regain weight.

“A new message is to keep exercising and maintain your weight to reduce disease risk and improve overall health. Don’t worry so much about losing weight, but focus on exercising and maintaining your current weight.”