Weight-Loss Drugs Help, But Exercise Is Still The Key To A Healthier Heart

July 13, 2026
HealthDay Staff HealthDay Reporter

Weight-loss meds are transforming obesity treatment.

But when it comes to heart health, exercise may still be the game changer.

"The study shows that while medication supports weight maintenance, it is exercise — with or without medication — that improves vascular health," said researcher Signe Torekov, a professor of biomedical sciences at the University of Copenhagen in Denmark.

Her team enrolled 130 adults with severe obesity in an eight-week low-calorie diet, helping them lose an average of 30 pounds.

They then followed the participants for a year, assigning them to one of four maintenance groups: exercise only; weight-loss medication only; exercise plus medication; or placebo.

The result: People in both exercise groups had healthier blood vessels and lower levels of inflammation. They saw a 6% to 7% reduction in artery wall thickness, a key marker of heart disease and stroke risk.

The combination of exercise and medication also led to additional weight loss.

But medication alone and placebo led to no heart benefits.

"Weight-loss medication is an important tool, but our results indicate that it cannot replace exercise," Torekov said. "Physical activity remains essential for protecting the heart and blood vessels."

How much physical activity? Study participants averaged 150 minutes a week — the amount recommended for adults in current U.S. guidelines.

The findings were recently published in the journal Nature Metabolism.

More information

Johns Hopkins Medicine has more on exercise and the heart.

SOURCE: HealthDay TV, July 13, 2026

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