Washington: When trying to lose weight, the timing ofexercise plays a key role, recent findings suggest.

In a study of 375 adults who have successfully maintainedweight loss and who engage in moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity,most reported consistency in the time of day that they exercised, with earlymorning being the most common time.The study also found that being consistentin the timing of physical activity was associated with higher physical activitylevels, regardless of whether people exercised consistently during the morning,afternoon, or evening.

The findings were published in the Journal of Obesity. "Ourfindings warrant future experimental research to determine whether promotingconsistency in the time of day that planned and structured physical activity isperformed can help individuals achieve and sustain higher levels of physicalactivity," said senior author Dale Bond.