Looking for a healthy way to curb your appetite? Start skipping!

Researchers have discovered that just a few minutes of skipping is an effective way to manage hunger and reduce our kilojoule intake.

The study, by the Waseda University in Japan, looked at which forms of exercise have the greatest effect on appetite. Fifteen participants were asked to fast for 12 hours before taking part in three separate trials. 

The first involved skipping with a rope for ten minutes, followed by a five-minute rest. After doing this three times they rested for two hours. The second trial repeated the exercise using a static bicycle and the third involved resting for two and a half hours. Throughout the experiment, volunteers noted how hungry they felt and were tested for levels of hormones known to be involved in controlling appetite. 

The results, published in the international research journal Appetite, revealed that people were far less likely to snack if they skipped for a few minutes than if they rode a bicycle and both activities left participants less hungry than doing no exercise.

According to the findings, skipping is a more effective way to reduce your appetite because it's a weight-bearing exercise, which works the body's major muscles and joints. And while cycling is a great way to get fit, it's not weight-bearing and therefore doesn't affect our appetite as much as skipping does. 

"The suppression of hunger during rope skipping was greater than that during the bicycle exercise, despite the similar energy expenditure between them," said researchers. "This suggests weight-bearing exercise may induce greater suppression of appetite than non-weight bearing."

They believe that the rapid up and down movement in activities, such as skipping or running, disturbs the gut and interferes with the release of hormones that control appetite. So next time the hunger pangs kick in, jump on the rope! 

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