Acute effects of brisk walking on sugary snack cravings in overweight people, affect and responses to a manipulated stress situation and to a sugary snack cue: a crossover study.

Larissa Ledochowski,Adrian H Taylor,Martin Kopp,Gerhard Ruedl

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0119278

Larissa Ledochowski, Adrian H Taylor + Show 2 more

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https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0119278

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Abstract

Research has shown that acute exercise reduces urges for chocolate in normal weight people. This study aimed to examine the effects of an acute exercise bout on urges to consume sugary snacks, affect as well as ‘psychological and physiological responses’ to stress and a ‘sugary snack cue’, in overweight individuals. Following 3 days of chocolate-abstinence, 47 overweight, sugary snack consumers were assessed, in 2 randomly ordered conditions, in a within-subject design: 15-min brisk walk or passive control. Following each, participants completed 2 tasks: Stroop color–word interference task, and handling sugary snacks. Urges for sugary snacks, affective activation and valence were assessed. ANOVAs revealed significant condition x time interaction effects for: urges to consume sugary snacks, affective valence and activation. Obtained data show that exercise reduces urges for sugary snacks and attenuates urges in response to the stress situation and the cue in overweight people.

Highlights

The global epidemic of obesity has led to increased interest in the contribution of snacking behaviors and factors influencing self-regulatory processes [1]
The mean self-selected intensity of exercise was subsequently calculated as fairly light [Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE) = 10.52 (2.39)]
This study demonstrates that opening and handling sugary snacks as well as the exposure to a stress situation increased high energy food cravings, but exercise attenuated these responses

Summary

Introduction

The global epidemic of obesity has led to increased interest in the contribution of snacking behaviors and factors influencing self-regulatory processes [1]. Obesity has been associated with greater daily fatigue and in turn less physical activity [1]. Replacing sedentary behavior with physical activity, which increases affective valence and activation [2] and reduces psychological and physiological responses to stress [3], may help to break the habitual consumption of high energy snacks. Failure to self-regulate high energy snacking has been likened to an addiction [4]. Food cravings have been blamed for overeating in obese individuals and for early drop out from.

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