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High body-mass index (BMI) and sedentary lifestyles decrease fertility potential. To test the efficacy of weight loss and increased activity on augmenting fertility, Dutch investigators randomized 574 infertile women (BMI ≥29 kg/m2; median, 36 kg/m2) to a 6-month lifestyle intervention followed by infertility treatment or to immediate treatment (control). The intervention consisted of reduced caloric intake (to lower BMI by ≥5%) and increased activity (10,000 steps daily plus 30 minutes of moderate exercise 2–3 times weekly).
Women in the intervention and control groups lost a mean of 4.4 kg (9.7 lb) and 1.1 kg (2.4 lb), respectively (P<0.001). Natural conception was achieved by 26% of women in the intervention group and 16% of those in the …