By Dr. Priyom Bose, Ph.D. Reviewed by Lauren Hardaker Jun 4 2026 A new American Heart Association scientific statement finds that exercise does far more than help shed pounds, improving cardiovascular health, preserving fitness, and strengthening long-term obesity treatment outcomes, even when the scale barely moves.  Study: Role of Physical Activity in Obesity Treatment and Cardiometabolic Health: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association . Image credit: Ljupco Smokovski/