New Research Challenges Commercial Fitness Equipment: Personalized Approach to Exercise Key for Optimal Fat Burning, Study Reveals
A recent study conducted by researchers from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai has shed light on the limitations of commercial fitness equipment and the importance of a personalized approach to exercise. The study discovered that the optimal heart rate for fat burning can vary among individuals and often does not align with the commonly recommended fat burning zone displayed on commercial exercise machines.
The research team suggests that clinical exercise testing, which evaluates an individual’s physiological response to physical activity, can be more effective in helping people achieve their weight and fat loss goals. By utilizing a machine learning model, the team analyzed data and published their findings in the journal Nutrition, Metabolism, and Cardiovascular Disease.
Lead author Hannah Kittrell, MS, RD, CDN, a Ph.D. candidate at Icahn Mount Sinai in the Augmented Intelligence in Medicine and Science laboratory, explained the significance of the study, stating, Most commercial exercise machines offer a ‘fat-burning zone’ option based on age, sex, and heart rate. However, the typically recommended fat-burning zone has not been validated, thus individuals may be exercising at intensities that are not aligned with their personalized weight loss goals.
Ms. Kittrell is also the Director of the Mount Sinai Physiolab, a clinical body composition and exercise physiology laboratory at Mount Sinai Morningside.
The study introduced the concept of FATmax, which represents the exercise intensity and associated heart rate at which the body reaches its highest fat-burning rate during aerobic exercise. This intensity level is of particular interest to individuals seeking to optimize fat loss during their workouts.
To validate the commonly recommended fat-burning zone, the researchers compared the heart rate at FATmax, as measured during a clinical exercise test, with predicted heart rates at various percentages of maximal effort. The results showed a poor agreement between the measured and predicted heart rates, with an average difference of 23 beats per minute.
The findings indicate that general recommendations for a fat-burning zone may not provide accurate guidance for individuals looking to maximize fat loss. As a next step, the researchers plan to investigate whether individuals who receive a more personalized exercise prescription demonstrate greater weight and fat loss, as well as improvements in metabolic health markers associated with health risks like type 2 diabetes, obesity, and heart disease.
Senior author Girish Nadkarni, MD, MPH, Irene and Dr. Arthur M. Fishberg Professor of Medicine at Icahn Mount Sinai, and Director of The Charles Bronfman Institute of Personalized Medicine, highlighted the significance of this work. He stated, We hope that this research will encourage more individuals and trainers to incorporate clinical exercise testing into personalized exercise routines for fat loss. It also underscores the value of data-driven approaches in achieving precision exercise.
The team’s emphasis on personalized exercise prescriptions tailored to fat loss may revolutionize the way individuals approach their fitness journeys. By utilizing clinical exercise testing and machine learning models, they aim to provide more accurate guidance that aligns with individuals’ specific weight loss goals.
As the researchers delve deeper into this field, their goal is to uncover whether a personalized exercise prescription leads to more significant weight and fat loss, as well as improvements in metabolic health markers. By optimizing exercise routines based on individual needs, it is hoped that the battle against type 2 diabetes, obesity, and heart disease can be fought more effectively.
This groundbreaking research challenges the conventional approach to exercise and highlights the need for a more personalized methodology. By understanding the intricacies of each person’s physiological response to physical activity, tailored exercise prescriptions can be developed to optimize fat burning, improve overall health, and help individuals achieve their weight loss objectives.
