WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Exercise not only helps with weight loss, but also promotes healthier fat, according to a new study published in the journal Nature Metabolism.
'Living a physically active lifestyle, exercising regularly over time, makes our fat tissue a more accommodating place for extra energy under conditions when we do gain weight,' said senior study author Dr. Jeffrey Horowitz, a professor of movement studies at the University of Michigan School of Kinesiology.
For the study, researchers compared two groups of 16 obese individuals. One group exercised atleast four hours a week for a minimum of two years, while the other group did not exercise regularly. Later, samples were taken from their belly fat tissue under the skin, which is considered as the healthiest place for fat storage, compared to fat accumulated around or inside organs such as heart and liver.
Researchers found that the group which exercised regularly had distinct features in their fat tissue, such as more blood vessels, increased levels of mitochondria and beneficial proteins, less collagen that interferes with metabolism, and fewer inflammatory cells, helping to increase fat storage capacity.
'What it means is that if or when people experience weight gain, this excess fat will be stored more 'healthfully' in this area under the skin, rather than in the fat tissue around their organs or an accumulation of fat in organs themselves, like the liver or heart,' Horowitz explained.
He added that regular exercising also enhances oxygen supply and nutrient delivery in blood vessels of fat tissue.
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