Study type: Randomized controlled trialConfidence: Moderate

Does Abdominal Exercise Reduce Abdominal Fat? A 6-Week RCT

Vispute SS, Smith JD, LeCheminant JD, Hurley KS

Year2011

Sample sizen=24

JournalJournal of Strength and Conditioning Research

AuthorsVispute SS, Smith JD, LeCheminant JD, Hurley KS

Evidence is still building up

Summary

In 24 sedentary adults (14 men, 10 women, aged 18–40) performing 7 abdominal exercises 5 days/week for 6 weeks under an isocaloric diet, there were no significant reductions in body weight, body fat percentage, waist circumference, or abdominal subcutaneous fat thickness. The results do not support spot reduction from abdominal exercise.

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DOI: 10.1519/JSC.0b013e3181fb4a46

Key Findings

Key findings

Key point

1
No significant reductions in body weight, body fat percentage, waist circumference, or abdominal subcutaneous fat thickness
2
Only curl-up performance improved significantly (exercise 47±13 vs control 32±9), i.e., endurance improves but fat does not decrease
3
A direct intervention RCT with a controlled diet testing the spot-reduction myth
4
n=24 is small, but as a diet-controlled direct RCT the confidence is moderate

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