Exercise Genes: Genomic Association With Exercise Reinforcement (ExGenes)

This study tests whether different physical activity patterns are linked an individual's genes.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Obesity; Overweight; Physical Activity
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Aerobic Exercise; Other: Sedentary Option; Other: Resistance Exercise

Detailed Description

The investigators propose that an individual's genetics are one factor that may be associated with the motivating aspect or attractiveness of exercise and therefore the choice to exercise rather than be sedentary. They propose to study the association of the genomic signatures with the reinforcing (motivating) value of different types of exercise. This has never been investigated and may uncover underlying mechanisms that would help to understand individual differences in exercise motivation. The ultimate impact of this work is a greater number of Americans being physically active, meeting the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) dietary guidelines for physical activity, and maintaining a healthy body weight. This study will be funded and undertaken at the Grand Forks Human Nutrition Research Center (GFHNRC). The purpose will be to assess genetic underpinnings of the motivating value of resistance and aerobic exercise, and to determine whether the motivating value of aerobic and resistance exercise are associated with usual participation in these modes of exercise.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 88
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • North Dakota
    • Grand Forks, North Dakota, United States, 58203
      • USDA Grand Forks Human Nutrition Research Center

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 50 years (Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• BMI within 18.5-35.0 kg/m2
• Healthy enough to exercise
• Active or inactive (not exercising at this time)

Exclusion Criteria:

• Taking any drugs that affect energy expenditure (e.g., thyroid, glucose-lowering drugs)
• Have gained or lost more than 5% of body weight over the past 6 months
• Use tobacco
• Pregnant or lactating or plan to become pregnant in the next 6 months
• Have any health conditions that prevent the individual from safely exercising (e.g., cardiovascular, liver, endocrine, or pulmonary diseases)

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Other
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Crossover Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Other: Aerobic Exercise vs Sedentary Option; Relative Reinforcing Value of aerobic exercise versus sedentary activity will be determined.	Other: Aerobic Exercise; Subjects will sample and rate their liking of three cardiovascular machines (treadmill, cycle ergometer, elliptical step ergometer) to determine which one will be used during the test.; Other: Sedentary Option; Subjects will rate their liking of three sedentary activities (reading magazines, playing puzzles, completing word games) as an alternative to exercise.
Other: Resistance Exercise vs Sedentary Option; Relative Reinforcing Value of resistance exercise versus sedentary activity will be determined.	Other: Sedentary Option; Subjects will rate their liking of three sedentary activities (reading magazines, playing puzzles, completing word games) as an alternative to exercise.; Other: Resistance Exercise; Subjects will sample and rate their liking of three different resistance training circuits (upper body, lower body, core) to determine which one will be used during the test.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Relative reinforcing value (RRV) of physical activity	RRV of physical activity will be assessed by evaluating the number of responses (mouse button presses) a subject is willing to complete to gain access to physical activity or a sedentary alternative.	Week 0 (Cross-sectional)
Preference for intense physical activity and tolerance for exercise discomfort	Preference for intense physical activity and tolerance for exercise discomfort will be assessed by self-report questionnaire responses.	Week 0 (Cross-sectional)
Genotypes of 23 small nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) previously identified to influence central dopamine release or uptake, reward, or physical activity	SNP genotyping will be performed on 3-5 ml samples of whole blood collected in ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA)-containing tubes followed by allelic-discrimination analysis for the amplification and identification of each SNP.	Week 0 (Cross-sectional)

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: USDA Grand Forks Human Nutrition Research Center
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: James N Roemmich, PhD, USDA Grand Forks Human Nutrition Research Center

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): April 1, 2015
• Primary Completion (Actual): November 1, 2015
• Study Completion (Actual): December 1, 2015

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: April 2, 2015
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 9, 2015
• First Posted (Estimated): April 15, 2015

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): April 11, 2025
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 8, 2025
• Last Verified: April 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: active; not active; normal body weight
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Nutrition Disorders; Overnutrition; Body Weight; Overweight
• Other Study ID Numbers: GFHNRC405

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO