Exercise as a Buffer Against Stress-induced Overeating

The purpose of this study is to examine the psychological benefits of chronic exercise as well as the effects of exercise training on eating behaviors and stress-induced overeating in overweight and obese women. Participants will be randomized to an 12-week exercise condition or a delayed exercise condition. Assessments will occur at baseline, 6 weeks, and 12 weeks and will include answering surveys in real-time using smartphones, several assessments of eating behaviors and dietary intake, and questionnaire measures of factors which could mediate the relationship between exercise and eating. Participants will be compensated for completing assessments and for adherence to the exercise protocol.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Obesity
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Exercise intervention; Other: Delayed exercise intervention

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 49
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • Rhode Island
    • Providence, Rhode Island, United States, 002903
      • Weight Control and Diabetes Research Center

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 60 years (Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Genders Eligible for Study: Female

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Female
• 18-60 years of age
• BMI 25 to <40 kg/m2
• Physically inactive (<60 min/week of physical activity)
• Must own a smartphone
• Must be willing to receive and respond to text message prompts for 14 days at baseline, 6 and 12 weeks

Exclusion Criteria:

• Shift workers
• Individuals who do not endorse stress-eating
• Recent weight loss or current enrollment in a weight loss program
• Women who are pregnant or plan on becoming pregnant in the next 6 months
• Any medical condition that would limit participation in physical activity
• Diabetes
• Inability to walk without an assisted device
• Inability to meet exercise recommendations
• Failure to adequately complete all baseline assessment measures

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Active Comparator: Exercise condition; Participants randomized to the exercise condition will participate in a 12-week exercise training program. The exercise intervention will consist of both supervised and unsupervised exercise sessions and progress to 200 minutes/week of moderate-intensity exercise. Exercise bouts will be spread across 4-6 days and be at least 20 minutes in duration. During supervised visits, heart rate will be monitored by a member of the research staff to ensure that exercise is within the prescribed intensity range and ratings of perceived exertion and feeling state will be assessed periodically. Unsupervised exercise will be verified using objective physical activity monitors.	Other: Exercise intervention
Placebo Comparator: Delayed exercise condition; Participants randomized to the delayed exercise condition will be asked not to change their exercise or eating habits over the 12-week period and will complete the same assessment measures as the exercise condition. However, following the completion of the 12-week period, participants will be given two options: 1) receive a one-on-one session with an exercise physiologist at our center and receive a written exercise program, and at this time point all study obligations will be completed, or 2) complete the identical exercise protocol as the 'exercise' condition.	Other: Delayed exercise intervention

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Stress-induced Overeating Measured Via Smartphone Surveys	Participants completed EMA surveys (5x/day for 14 days). At each prompt they were asked if an eating episode occurred. If they indicated 'yes', they were asked to check all that apply: a) I ate past the point of feeling full, b) I ate more than usual, c) I had unplanned eating (i.e., consumed food when I don't usually eat and was not making up for a missed meal, or d) None of the above. If the participant responded with a, b, or c, it was classified as an 'overeating episode'. Further, at each prompt, participants were asked to the respond to the following: 'Right now I feel stressed' (1=not at all, 7=very much so). If the stress score was >=5 at the prompt just prior to an overeating episode, then it was considered a 'stress-induced overeating episode'.	12 weeks
Percentage of Overeating Episodes Characterized as 'Overeating'	If an eating episode occurred, participants were asked to check all that apply: a) I ate past the point of feeling full, b) I ate more than usual, c) I had unplanned eating (i.e., consumed food when I don't usually eat and was not making up for a missed meal, or d) None of the above. If response was a, b, or c, it was classified as an 'overeating episode'.	12 weeks

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in Body Weight (% Initial Weight)	Percent weight change from baseline to 12 weeks	baseline and 12 weeks
Stress as Measured Via Questionnaire	The 10-item Perceived Stress Scale (Cohen 1988) was used to assess changes in stress by treatment arm from baseline to 12 weeks. Scores on this measure range from 0-40 with a higher score indicating greater perceived stress. Presented values are 12 week scores adjusted for baseline values.	Baseline and 12 weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: The Miriam Hospital
• Collaborators: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Unick JL, Dunsiger SI, Leblond T, Hahn K, Thomas JG, Abrantes AM, Stroud LR, Wing RR. Randomized Trial Examining the Effect of a 12-wk Exercise Program on Hedonic Eating. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2021 Aug 1;53(8):1638-1647. doi: 10.1249/MSS.0000000000002619.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): January 16, 2017
• Primary Completion (Actual): November 1, 2018
• Study Completion (Actual): May 21, 2019

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: October 13, 2016
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: October 14, 2016
• First Posted (Estimate): October 18, 2016

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): March 29, 2021
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 26, 2021
• Last Verified: August 1, 2019

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Signs and Symptoms, Digestive; Hyperphagia
• Other Study ID Numbers: 592916-14; K01DK100498 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

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