This study was based on the effect diet and exercise (combined and alone) has on

overweight/obese post-menopausal women involving weight and body composition. The study

found that dietary weight loss and/or moderate to vigorous aerobic exercise was enough to show

improvements in body composition. Diet and exercise was the most beneficial in weight loss

followed by diet alone then exercise alone. Two limitations of the study include self-reported

exercise at home versus facility observed exercise and diet was also self-reported. Important

strengths of the study were the size and length of the study; 5,621 women were involved in the

study which took place over a years’ time. On top of that the study had excellent adherence to

the interventions and a low dropout rate.

The methods used in this study include three interventions with a control group that are

dietary weight loss, moderate to vigorous exercise, or both combined aimed at changes in body

composition and weight loss. The study included post-menopausal women aged 50-75 years who

are overweight/obese. Recruiting was accomplished via mail, media and the community. Women

were randomized into one of the four groups via a computerized program. Interventions for diet

based members included total intake 1200-2000kcal/day based on weight with others factors

taken into consideration. Interventions for exercise based members include 45+ minutes of

exercise per day totaling five days a week with other factors taken into consideration. Adherence

was assessed multiple ways. Diet was assessed by weight loss, attendance, food journal, and self-

weighing. Exercise was assessed via daily exercise logs that were looked at weekly.

The results concluded that the diet alone/diet and exercise had the greatest weight loss out

of the groups; the diet and exercise group had the greatest waist reduction out of the groups.

Overall, as stated above the diet and exercise group together was the most beneficial in weight

loss and change in body composition followed by the diet alone group and exercise alone group.
 This study was based on the effects of exercise training with energy restriction on

functioning and body composition in obese adults trying to lose weight. The study shows

between all the articles that weight loss without exercise has no benefits to muscle strength while

exercise with energy restriction improves strength. Exercise alone groups and the combined

exercise and diet groups show improvements in physical performance where the diet alone

groups do not. Energy restriction alone shows it cannot meet the targeted weight loss which is

why exercise is an important factor in weight loss.

The methods used to conduct the study include an electronic database to search for other

trials involving exercise and energy restriction for weight loss and other information. With the

numerous ways to assess body composition, this study chose to only include studies that used

dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) or full body MRI. Gastric banding was the only

surgery that was included as a form of energy restriction while all other types of surgeries were

not used.

The results of the study are beneficial in that most of the articles related to changes in

body mass and body composition. The length of the studies was between three and twelve

months with mean ages between 37 and 75 as well as BMI ranging from 31 to 37. Overall, the

exercise and energy restriction groups were more effective in weight loss and other positive

benefits than the exercise alone groups or energy restriction alone groups.