Are weighted vests good for bones and muscle? Fact-checking a fitness trend

"They're at the gym, on hiking trails, in public parks and on social media feeds, where influencers claim wearing one can do incredible things for your health. "The benefits to walking with a weighted vest are insane," one paid promoter, theashleywill, said in a recent post on TikTok. "Your posture, your bones, increased calorie burn, your strength, your endurance," she continued. "I could go on and on and on.""

"There just aren't that many studies of weighted vests, and the ones that do exist do not bear out many of the claims made on social media especially around bone density and muscle strength. "All physical activity is good, so I don't want to demonize anything that is going to make people more active," says Lauren Colenso-Semple, who studies exercise science at McMaster University in Canada. However, she says, a lot of the marketing that promotes walking with a weighted vest promises results for bones and muscles."

Weighted vests have become highly visible in gyms, trails, parks and on social media, with influencers claiming wide-ranging health benefits including improved posture, bone strength, calorie burn, strength and endurance. Influencers especially promote use for perimenopausal and menopausal women to counter declining bone density. Market research projects strong consumer demand and a global market reaching $313 million by 2031. Scientific research on weighted vests is limited, and existing studies generally do not confirm claimed benefits for bone density or muscle strength. Exercise remains beneficial, but current data do not strongly support marketing claims that walking with a weighted vest increases bone or muscle health.

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