Changes in Energy Expenditure in Response to Physical Activity in Healthy Adults (VITAL)

Assessment of Changes in Energy Expanditure in Response to Short-term Physical Activity Measured by Indirect Calorymetry in Healthy Individuals

This study investigates how short, high-intensity body-weight exercises affect energy use in healthy young adults. The focus is on resting metabolic rate (RMR), total energy expenditure (TEE) and excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC), measured with a portable indirect calorimetry system (COSMED K5). Participants will be 14 volunteers, seven women and seven men aged 18 to 30 years, recruited from the academic community of the Medical University of Białystok. Each subject will first undergo basic screening, including ECG, blood pressure, and body composition. Measurements will be taken in three phases. In the resting phase, RMR will be recorded after fifteen minutes of quiet sitting. In the exercise phase, participants will perform squats, burpees, or a plank for one minute at maximum effort or sustained position while energy use is continuously monitored. In the recovery phase, EPOC will be measured immediately after exercise to capture short-term changes. Oxygen uptake, ventilation, heart rate, and oxygen saturation will be tracked throughout the session. Environmental conditions such as room temperature and humidity will be standardized, and participants will avoid caffeine, alcohol, and heavy physical activity at least 24 hours before testing. The main aim is to determine whether even one minute of exercise can meaningfully alter EPOC steady state parameters, and to compare the energy cost of different exercise types. The data will be analyzed in relation to anthropometric variables and cardiopulmonary function. Results are expected to improve understanding of short-term energy dynamics and may support more precise recommendations in pulmonary rehabilitation, cardiology, sports medicine, and nutrition. By providing reliable measurements of caloric cost in simple exercises, the study can help design safer and more effective training, rehabilitation, and weight control programs.

Study Overview

• Status: Recruiting
• Conditions: Physical Activities
• Intervention / Treatment: Diagnostic test: physical activity

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Estimated): 20

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Lukasz Minarowski, MD PhD; Phone Number: +48858316383; Email: lukasz.minarowski@umb.edu.pl
• Study Contact Backup: Name: Izabela Majewska; Phone Number: +48882115836; Email: 39903@student.umb.edu.pl

Study Locations

• Poland
  • Podlaskie Voivodeship
    • Bialystok, Podlaskie Voivodeship, Poland, 15-540
      • Recruiting
      • II Departemnt of Lung Diseases, Lung Cancer, and Internal Medicine
      • Contact: Lukasz Minarowski, MD PhD; Phone Number: +48858316383; Email: lukasz.minarowski@umb.edu.pl

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Healthy volunteers aged 18 to 30 years will be recruited from the academic community of the Medical University of Białystok, primarily students affiliated with the Student Research Group at the II Department of Pulmonary Diseases, Lung Cancer and Internal Medicine. Participants must be free of chronic diseases, musculoskeletal injuries, and active infections, and must meet standard medical screening criteria before enrollment.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Age 18-30 years
• Healthy volunteers without chronic diseases
• Normal resting ECG (regular sinus rhythm, 60-90 bpm)
• Normal blood pressure according to ESC guidelines
• Ability and willingness to provide written informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

• Chronic diseases or musculoskeletal injury within the past 6 months
• Use of tobacco or nicotine products within the past 6 months
• Blood donation >20 mL (except diagnostic) within the past 6 months
• Use of narcotics, sedatives, or dietary supplements (e.g., creatine) within the past 2 weeks
• Active infection, fever, or acute illness at the time of study
• Inability to comply with study instructions (dietary restrictions, abstinence from alcohol/caffeine, exercise restrictions)

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Differences Between Pre- and Post-exercise Energy Expenditure Measurement	Resting metabolic rate (RMR) will be measured in kcal/min using the COSMED K5 portable indirect calorimetry system. Each participant will undergo a baseline measurement after 15 minutes of seated rest. Immediately following one minute of physical activity (squats, burpees, or plank) with continuous measurement of energy expenditure, then during restitution EPOC will be measured (in lO₂ or kcal) until values stabilize. The primary outcome is the difference between post-exercise energy expenditure and baseline, reflecting the acute impact of short-duration, high-intensity activity on energy metabolism in healthy young adults.	Baseline and immediately post-exercise (within 10-15 minutes).

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Total Energy Expenditure (TEE) During Exercise	Resting metabolic rate (RMR) will be measured in kcal/min using the COSMED K5 portable indirect calorimetry system. Each participant will undergo a baseline measurement after 15 minutes of seated rest. Immediately following one minute of physical activity (squats, burpees, or plank) with continuous measurement of energy expenditure, then during restitution EPOC will be measured (in lO₂ or kcal) until values stabilize. The secondary outcome is a measure of energy expenditure during one minute of high-intensity activity in healthy young adults.	From the beginning to the end of performing the exercise (1 minute).

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Medical University of Bialystok
• Collaborators: University Teaching Hospital, Bialystok

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): September 1, 2025
• Primary Completion (Estimated): November 1, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): December 1, 2026

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: April 7, 2026
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 7, 2026
• First Posted (Actual): April 14, 2026

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): April 14, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 7, 2026
• Last Verified: June 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: resting metabolic rate; excess post-exercise oxygen consumption; indirect calorimetry, energy expenditure, exercise physiology, pulmonary rehabilitation, body-weight training; plank; squats; burpees
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Behavior; Motor Activity; Motor Activity; Movement; Musculoskeletal Physiological Phenomena; Musculoskeletal and Neural Physiological Phenomena; Exercise
• Other Study ID Numbers: APK.002.256.2025