How weighted vest helps lose weight?

It is believed that our body can 'get used' to a certain weight and try to keep this weight. Maybe this is what prevents many people from losing weight. According to a new study published in the journal Lancet EClinicalMedicine, the body can be 'tricked' with a weighted vest.

Earlier, Swedish scientists from the University of Gothenburg have put forward the theory that the metabolism of a person or animal can adjust to its weight. Scientists called this system a 'gravitostat'. It is designed to keep weight within certain limits. And animal studies have shown that weight is maintained through hormones that regulate appetite.

In a new study, the same group of scientists checked whether the theory of the 'gravitostat' is valid for people and whether it is possible to 'deceive' this mechanism with the help of weighted vests.

The study involved 69 people with mild obesity (body mass index 30-35). Half of the participants wore vests weighing 1 kilogram for 8 hours a day, the other half wore vests weighing 11 kilograms. The study participants were not supposed to do additional exercises, they were given the recommendation to live as usual.

After three weeks, people who wore light vests lost an average of 300 grams, and those who wore heavy ones lost an average of 1.6 kilograms. Moreover, weight loss occurred due to adipose tissue. Scientists have also compared the amount of fat loss with weight loss, which is usually achieved after some physical training.

The authors of the study plan to further make sure that wearing a weighted vest can actually contribute to the loss of excess weight over a longer period of time. They are also going to find out what exactly affects weight loss: a decrease in appetite, an increase in energy expenditure, or other factors.

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