Effects and reproducibility of aerobic and resistance exercise on appetite and energy intake in young, physically active adults

Abstract

Appetite and meal energy intake (MEI) following aerobic (AEx) and resistance (REx) exercises were evaluated in 19 young, active adults. The participants completed duplicate 35-min sessions of AEx, REx, and sedentary control, and consumed an ad libitum pasta meal 30 min postsession. Hunger transiently decreased after AEx but was not influenced by REx. MEI was 14% to 18% higher after AEx and REx than control. These findings are consistent with exercise-stimulated ingestive behavior, not anorexia of exercise.

Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00761163.

Figures

Fig. 1

Hunger (A) and fullness (B) responses when young, physically fit adults performed aerobic exercise (AEx), resistance exercise (REx), or remained sedentary (control (CON)). *, AEx different than REx and CON at minute 45, p = 0.05 and p < 0.0001, respectively; †, fullness lower at minute 75 vs. minute −60 (p = 0.0004) and minute 105 (p < 0.0001) for all subjects combined, independent of treatment.

Fig. 2

Ad libitum meal energy intake of pasta salad on duplicate days of testing 30 min after the subjects performed aerobic exercise (AEx, r = 0.853; (A)), resistance exercise (REx, r = 0.818; (B)), or no exercise control (CON, r = 0.773; (C)). The dotted line is the identity line (x = y). Each Pearson correlation (r) was statistically significant, p < 0.0001. 1 kcal = 4.184 kJ.