The Impact of an Acute Bout of Exercise on Children's Eating Behaviors

The purpose of this project is to examine the effects of an acute bout of exercise on children's energy intake over the course of a day. Previous studies in adolescents and adults have shown exercise to be effective in decreasing short-term energy intake, with some variability. Individual characteristics such as habitual physical activity and psychological factors may influence the effect of exercise on energy intake, but these factors have yet to be examined. The investigators have assembled a multi-disciplinary team of researchers, with expertise in eating behavior, exercise, psychology, and clinical research in order to examine these questions. First, the investigators will examine the difference in energy intake at lunch, snack, and dinner meals in response to 30 minutes of imposed exercise compared to 30 minutes of rest. Second, the investigators will collect objective measures of children's habitual physical activity, child characteristics (body composition, eating behavior traits), and individual responses to the controlled exercise bout. The investigators can then examine both group and individual differences in the energy intake response to exercise. Children (ages 9-12) will be tested over the course of three visits. The key outcome will be differences in energy intake in response to exercise vs. rest. Secondary outcomes include the influence of differences in habitual physical activity, personal characteristics, and responses to the exercise bout on children's energy intake. The long term goal of this line of research is to understand the mechanisms behind the interaction between exercise and energy intake. The translational potential of this research will be to inform personalized childhood obesity prevention strategies in children at risk for overweight.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Pediatric Obesity

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Actual): 40

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • Pennsylvania
    • University Park, Pennsylvania, United States, 16802
      • The Pennsylvania State University

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 9 years to 12 years (Child)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

• Sampling Method: Probability Sample

Study Population

Children ages 9-12 years old

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• English as a native language
• Reading at/above grade level
• Generally healthy
• Child is "normal weight" below the 85% age- and sex-specific BMI percentile
• Child has at least one biological parent classified as "overweight" or "obese" (≥ 25 kg/m^2)
• Regularly eats breakfast

Exclusion Criteria:

• Contraindications to exercise testing (as defined by the American College of Sports Medicine)
• Medical conditions
• Psychiatric conditions
• Participation in competitive sports teams (year-round or more than 3 practices / week)
• Food allergies or other dietary restrictions

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Baseline energy intake	Food intake is measured at objective laboratory test-meals as the difference between the pre-meal and post-meal weights of individual food items served. Weight of food is converted to energy in kilocalories based on nutrition facts label information.	Collected at week 1 of the study
Energy intake following exercise	Food intake is measured at objective laboratory test-meals as the difference between the pre-meal and post-meal weights of individual food items served. Weight of food is converted to energy in kilocalories based on nutrition facts label information.	Collected at week 2 or 3 (randomized) of the study
Energy intake following sedentary control	Food intake is measured at objective laboratory test-meals as the difference between the pre-meal and post-meal weights of individual food items served. Weight of food is converted to energy in kilocalories based on nutrition facts label information.	Collected at week 2 or 3 (randomized) of the study
Activity-related energy expenditure - Baseline day	Measured using ActiGraph accelerometers	Collected in the laboratory at week 1, 2, and 3, and at home for one week between the 2nd and 3rd laboratory visits
Activity-related energy expenditure - Exercise day	Measured using ActiGraph accelerometers	Collected at week 2 or 3 (randomized) of the study
Activity-related energy expenditure - Sedentary control day	Measured using ActiGraph accelerometers	Collected at week 2 or 3 (randomized) of the study

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Baseline submaximal fitness test performance	YMCA submaximal cycle ergometer test - American College of Sports Medicine	Collected at week 1 of the study
Exercise test performance (70% intensity) - Heart rate	Measured by Polar Heart Rate Monitor	Collected at week 2 or 3 (randomized) of the study
Exercise test performance (70% intensity) - Blood pressure	Measured by registered nurse or trained research assistant	Collected at week 2 or 3 (randomized) of the study
Exercise test performance (70% intensity) - Ratings of perceived exertion	Measured on the Borg Scale	Collected at week 2 or 3 (randomized) of the study
Exercise test performance (70% intensity) - Completion	Children's completion of the full 30 minutes of 70% intensity exercise	Collected at week 2 or 3 (randomized) of the study
Child sleep patterns	Measured using ActiGraph accelerometers	Collected at home for one week between the 2nd and 3rd laboratory visits
Child physical activity patterns	Measured using ActiGraph accelerometers	Collected at home for one week between the 2nd and 3rd laboratory visits

Other Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Liking of foods	Ratings of how much child likes specific foods used in the study test meals, completed on visual analog scales	Collected at week 1 and 2 of the study
Wanting of foods	Ratings of how much child wants to eat specific foods used in the study test meals, completed on visual analog scales	Collected at week 1 and 2 of the study
Fullness feelings	Ratings of how full the child feels on a child friendly visual analog scale	Collected at multiple time points during weeks 1, 2, and 3
Height	Height in cm measured by stadiometer	Collected at week 1
Weight	Weight in kg by standard digital scale	Collected at week 1
Body fat percentage	Assessed by bioelectrical impedance analysis scale	Collected at week 1
Body mass index	Calculated from height and weight (kg/m^2)	Collected at week 1
BMI percentile	Calculated from height, weight, age, sex	Collected at week 1
BMI z-score	Calculated from height, weight, age, sex	Collected at week 1
Fat mass index	Calculated from body fat percentage, weight, height	Collected at week 1
Fat-free mass index	Calculated from fat mass, weight, height	Collected at week 1
Appetitive traits	Parent-reported questionnaire of habitual eating styles in children	Collected at week 1
Pubertal development	Parent-reported questionnaire	Collected at week 1
Family demographics	Parent-reported questionnaire	Collected at week 1

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Penn State University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

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

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: June 8, 2016
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: July 11, 2016
• First Posted (Estimate): July 14, 2016

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): January 13, 2021
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: January 11, 2021
• Last Verified: January 1, 2021

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Overnutrition; Nutrition Disorders; Overweight; Body Weight; Obesity; Pediatric Obesity
• Other Study ID Numbers: EnergyBalance01

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

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