Aerobic Exercise Shows Stronger Link to Reducing Obesity-Related Inflammation Than Medication in Danish Study
Researchers from the University of Copenhagen in Denmark reported that aerobic exercise stands out as the most effective strategy to curb inflammation driven by obesity. The findings were presented at the European Congress on Obesity (ECO) in Italy, during May 12–15, when scientists shared details from a year‑long intervention involving adults with obesity but no history of diabetes.
The study enrolled 195 Danish adults with obesity, averaging 42 years of age, and a body mass index between 32 and 43 kg/m2. Participants followed a low‑calorie diet for eight weeks, achieving a minimum weight loss of 5% of their initial body weight. After this initial phase, individuals were randomly assigned to three groups to test different approaches to maintaining weight loss and improving metabolic health.
Group A engaged in moderate to high‑intensity aerobic exercise for at least 150 and 75 minutes per week, respectively, distributed across two weekly sessions on stationary bikes. Group B received liraglutide, a prescription drug used for weight management. Group C continued their usual exercise routines and received a placebo to serve as a control for the behavioral effects of being enrolled in a trial.
The study spanned roughly 12 months from the beginning of the exercise and pharmacotherapy interventions. Blood samples collected before and after the two main phases allowed researchers to quantify several markers of inflammation and metabolic health. The weight loss achieved during the eight‑week diet phase created a uniform baseline from which the effects of the subsequent interventions could be more clearly evaluated.
Weight trajectories varied across groups over the year. The liraglutide‑only group showed a modest average loss of about 0.7 kg, while participants in the aerobic exercise group gained around two kilograms on average. Those in the placebo group regained roughly half of the weight they had initially shed, about 6.1 kg on average, illustrating how lifestyle interventions can influence long‑term weight maintenance alongside pharmacotherapy or behavioral changes.
A key finding emerged from the inflammatory profiles: aerobic exercise produced a meaningful decrease in the inflammatory marker interleukin‑6 (IL‑6). Chronically elevated IL‑6 is associated with higher risks of cardiovascular disease and insulin resistance, making this a clinically relevant finding for metabolic health. In the study, IL‑6 levels declined by approximately 17.3% in Group B and 19.9% in Group A, while remaining largely unchanged in the placebo group. No significant differences were observed in other inflammatory markers, including IL‑2, IL‑8, IL‑10, and TNF‑α, across the three groups.
The researchers highlighted that exercise, particularly when performed at both moderate and high intensities, reduced inflammation more effectively than liraglutide treatment alone. These results underscore the importance of incorporating structured aerobic activity into programs aimed at preventing obesity‑related metabolic diseases, such as diabetes. The study’s implications suggest that combining weight loss with regular aerobic exercise may yield meaningful improvements in inflammatory status and metabolic risk, beyond what pharmacotherapy alone can achieve.
Overall, the findings support a strategy in which physical activity plays a central role in obesity management and inflammation reduction. The work also reinforces the idea that maintaining an active lifestyle, with attention to training intensity, is a critical component for reducing chronic inflammation and improving cardiovascular and metabolic health among adults with obesity.
Related discussions have explored how childhood weight can influence health outcomes in adulthood, reinforcing the long‑term importance of early interventions and sustained healthy habits for managing obesity and its associated risks.