Even a bit of exercise helps obese

Less than sixty minutes in seven days.

That's the amount of exercise that can measurably improve quality of life for people who are obese, according to Duke Diet and Fitness Center research released today.

People in a study of 1,200 people who exercised for a little less than one hour a week still enjoyed better quality of life and improved ability to perform daily tasks.

"Things that many people take for granted, like tying one's shoes, getting dressed or simply moving around, were easier for those who reported routine exercise," Martin Binks, research director at the Duke Diet and Fitness Center, said in a news release.

The benefits of exercise for obese people have not been as thoroughly studied as for mild or moderately overweight people, said Binks, who presented the research at this weekend's meeting of the Obese Society in Phoenix, Ariz.

"It shows the value of starting to move no matter how overweight you are," he said.

In July, obesity researchers, including Wake Forest University's Wei Lang, found that four hours and 15 minutes of exercise per week was necessary for overweight and obese women to lose pounds and keep them off during a two-year period.

And earlier this year, an international group of scientists said that exercise may help obese people lose weight by inhibiting appetite.

"A better short-term appetite control has been described in active compared to sedentary men," researchers said in an article in the International Journal of Obesity.