Summary:
In sedentary overweight and obese women, metabolically guided moderate-intensity intermittent walking combined with whole-food, plant-based nutrition significantly reduced body fat, improved fat metabolism, and enhanced submaximal aerobic capacity compared to low-intensity continuous training (RER ≈ 0.75) and high-intensity continuous training (RER ≈ 0.95), though it was associated with no reported adverse effects.
| PICO | Description |
|---|---|
| Population | Sedentary overweight and obese adult women (mean age 43 years, BMI ~30.1 kg·m⁻²). |
| Intervention | Metabolically guided moderate-intensity intermittent walking (RER ≈ 0.85), five sessions per week (15–50 min/session), combined with a whole-food, plant-based diet with ~200 kcal/day energy deficit. |
| Comparison | Low-intensity continuous training (LICT; RER ≈ 0.75) and high-intensity continuous training (HICT; RER ≈ 0.95), each with the same dietary plan as the intervention group. |
| Outcome | MIIT achieved the greatest reductions in body mass (-11.2%), fat mass (-25.9%), and percent body fat (-17.1%), along with improved VO₂ at VT1 and increased fat oxidation. Changes in resting respiratory quotient correlated with fat loss. No adverse effects were reported. |
Source: Mayer, Harold C., et al. “Metabolically Guided Walking and Plant-Based Nutrition Enhance Body Composition and Weight Loss.” Read article here.
