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The pointlessness of the long distance runner: You can run as many marathons as you like but you'll still be fat, say scientists

Even running more than 50 miles in a week your waistline rarely shifts
Harvard University's Mary Kennedy said it's more of a problem for women
The university carried out a small study involving 64 people training
75% neither lost or gained weight after three months of four runs per week

Published: 04:41 EST, 17 October 2015 | Updated: 06:46 EST, 17 October 2015

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Marathon training has little or no effect on most people's weight, scientists say.

Many long-distance runners find that even when they are running more than 50 miles in a week their waistlines barely get smaller, with some actually gaining weight.

According to Harvard University's lifestyle and nutrition researcher, Mary Kennedy, it is a particular problem for women.

Runners approaching the 23rd mile on the course of this year's London Marathon

'I don't mean this in any derogatory way, but marathoning has really become accessible for everyone, which is amazing and wonderful,' she told the New York Magazine.

'But just because you cross the finish line doesn't mean you were running at a really vigorous pace seven days a week.

'You're so focused on going far, so you're not necessarily doing a vigorous run.'

The university carried out a small study involving 64 people training for charity events.

After three months of running four days each week, 75 per cent neither lost or gained any significant amount of weight.

They were, however, balanced out by one runner who put on several pounds. Out of the seven runners who gained weight, six of them were women.

Marathon training has little or no effect on most people's weight, scientists say. Pictured is runners leaving Canary Wharf in the London Marathon

It is possible that the runners were burning fat and gaining muscle weight, but Ms Kennedy insists it is down to diet and appetite.

She believes many people are not burning the extra calories that they are eating when training.

The researcher, who used to train a team of amateur runners, added: 'Several of them would come to me and they would say exactly that: "I am working out more than I ever have in my entire life. I am doing this for a lot of reasons, but I really thought I'd look better in my clothes."

'But this idea that you're going to run a marathon and the pounds are going to melt away is not realistic.'