Role of Physical Activity in Obesity Treatment and Cardiometabolic Health
Updated: June 01, 2026
- Obesity affects 42% of adults in the United States and is strongly associated with major cardiovascular disease risk factors, including high blood pressure, abnormal cholesterol levels, and insulin resistance, making effective obesity treatment a critical public health priority.
- Physical activity improves major cardiovascular risk factors, including blood pressure, insulin resistance, and cholesterol, independent of weight loss, highlighting the broad cardiometabolic value of physical activity beyond the number on the scale.
- Clinicians play a pivotal role in supporting patients' physical activity goals; evidence-based approaches such as the 5A model (assess, advise, agree, assist, arrange) can guide these conversations, and a "some is better than none" message may be especially effective for patients who are currently physically inactive.
Role of Physical Activity in Obesity Treatment and Cardiometabolic Health
In this video, Damon Swift, PhD, FAHA and Leanna Ross, MD, FAHA walk through the key clinical insights from the new scientific statement on physical activity in obesity treatment and cardiovascular disease. The discussion highlights the cardiometabolic benefits of physical activity independent of weight loss, the modest impact of exercise alone on body weight, and how combining activity with other treatments, like bariatric surgery and the new GLP-1-based therapies, can improve outcomes. The chairs also share practical messaging strategies clinicians can use to support patient adherence and long-term engagement in physical activity.