Less fat inside the belly
- Published in
- Ann Intern Med 2000
- People studied
- 52
In a small trial of 52 men with obesity, losing 8% through diet or through exercise reduced the fat inside the abdomen.
- Checked against
- PubMed 10896648
- Published in
- Ann Intern Med 2000
- Last checked
- 30 October 2026
Key takeaway
In this Canadian trial, 52 men with obesity were randomly assigned to one of four groups for 3 months: weight loss by diet, the same weight loss by exercise, exercise without weight loss, or no change. Both weight-loss groups lost about 7.5 kg, or 8%, with similar falls in belly fat under the skin and around the organs. Exercise removed about 1.3 kg more total fat than diet. Exercise without weight loss also reduced belly and deep fat.
At a glance
- Type of study
- small randomised trial
- People studied
- 52
- How long
- 3 months
- Compared with
- a control group with no change
- Main result
- Losing 8% by diet or exercise reduced fat inside the belly.
- Strength of evidence
- Small or uncontrolled studies
What this study does not show
A small trial in men only, lasting 3 months.
Results from studies in groups of people, mostly in diet and movement programmes. They cannot be promised to any one person. This information is educational and does not replace a consultation with a doctor.
More on fat
- Less fat around the organsSmall or uncontrolled studies · Gepner et al., Circulation 2018
- Deep fat can go tooLong-term or observational studies · Verheggen et al., Obes Rev 2016
- Less fat inside the bellySmall or uncontrolled studies · Ross et al., Ann Intern Med 2000
- Lower inflammation markersRandomised trials · Esposito et al., JAMA 2003
- More exercise, less deep fatRandomised trials · Recchia et al., Br J Sports Med 2023
- Smaller waist, less inflammationRandomised trials · Rahimi et al., Biol Res Nurs 2022
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