A study on endurance runners has shown that the body begins to burn fat earlier than previously thought, offering 'immediate' results to people wanting to lose weight through running.

Researches from the Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology at the University Hospital of Ulm (UHU) in Germany studied runners taking part in the TransEurope-FootRace 2009.

A key finding of the study was that the first tissue affected by running was fat tissue. More importantly, visceral fat loss occurred much earlier in the running process than previously thought.

Visceral fat is the most dangerous fat and is linked to cardiovascular disease. The findings also revealed that the greatest amount of overall fat loss appeared early in the process.

Commenting on the findings, Uwe Schütz from UHU said: "When you just begin running, the effects of fat reduction are more pronounced than in athletes who have been running their whole life.

"But you should do this sport constantly over the years. If you stop running for a long time, you need to reduce your caloric input or opt for other aerobic exercises to avoid experiencing weight gain."

The study was presented on 29 November at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA). Details: http://www.exerciseprofessionals.net/a.cfm?a=F8V7P