Exact amount of exercise people need to do per week to actually lose weight

The amount of exercise that you should aim for each week in order to lose weight has been revealed.

A review was carried out and then published in the JAMA Network Open journal on Thursday (26 December).

Though it was initially believed that 30 minutes of exercise was enough to reduce body weight and waist circumference, it was revealed in the journal that this only applies to adults with obesity.

Aerobic exercise is crucial for long-term health (Getty Stock Photo)

Specifically focused on Aerobic Exercise, the investigation was called 'Aerobic Exercise and Weight Loss in Adults - A Systematic Review and Dose-Response Meta-Analysis'.

Focusing on nutrition as well as exercise, the journal looked at aerobic exercise, that being any physical activity that raises a person's heart rate, causing them to move and sweat for a sustained period of time.

The scientific study found that coupling regular exercise with a healthy diet showed the best results.

In the investigation, it is found that previous studies have put the optimal minimum period of exercise at between 30 and 45 minutes, while just half an hour is linked to an improved cognitive performance.

Even 30 minutes of walking on a treadmill over a week and a half can improve mental health, according to a different study.

The study in the JAMA Network Open journal found through clinical trials carried out previously that exercise has an affect on weight loss, with at least 150 minutes of aerobic exercise at a moderate intensity would result in greater weight-loss results.

That works out to half an hour of exercise after work in the week.

You can achieve weight loss after at least 150 minutes of exercise in the week (Getty Stock Photo)

Health guidelines reveal that carrying out this amount of exercise can result in two to three kilograms of weight loss, while 225 to 420 minutes per week would be necessary for five to seven kilograms of weight loss.

Though, all of this depends on your diet as well.

This study analysed over 100 clinical trials looking at the effects of exercise over at least eight weeks, focused on people who are overweight or obese.

Though 30 minutes of exercise may be beneficial to that specific group of people, the findings stated that the 'greatest, clinically important' improvement from aerobic exercise came from over 150 minutes each week.

It read: “Aerobic training at least 150 minutes per week may be needed to achieve important reductions in waist circumference and body fat.”

They concluded that 'longer durations' of this type of exercise could be linked to 'beneficial' weight loss or a reduced waist circumference.