Intensive exercise: a remedy for childhood obesity?

Abstract

Background: Acute exercise can affect the energy intake regulation, which is of major interest in terms of obesity intervention and weight loss.

Objective: To test the hypothesis that intensive exercise can affect the subsequent energy intake and balance in obese adolescents.

Design: The study was conducted in 2009 and enrolled 12 obese pubertal adolescents ages 14.4±1.5 years old. Two exercise and one sedentary sessions were completed. The first exercise (EX(1)) and sedentary session (SED) were randomly conducted 1 week apart. The second exercise session (EX₂) was conducted following 6 weeks of diet modification and physical activity (3×90 min/week) to produce weight loss. Energy intake was recorded, subjective appetite sensation was evaluated using Visual Analogue Scales and energy expenditure was measured using ActiHerats during EX(1), EX₂ and SED.

Results: Total energy intake over the awakened period was significantly reduced by 31% and 18% during the EX(1) and EX(2) sessions compared with the SED session, respectively (p<0.01). Energy balance over the awakened period was negative during EX₁, neutral during EX₂ and positive during SED. There was no significant difference in terms of subjective appetite rates between sessions during the awakened hours.

Conclusions: Intensive exercise favors a negative energy balance by dually affecting energy expenditure and energy intake without changes in appetite sensations, suggesting that adolescents are not at risk of food frustration.