Energy intake and appetite following exercise in lean and overweight girls

Abstract

Twelve 11-year-old girls (six lean, six overweight) were given meals in the laboratory and at school for 5 days, with exercise imposed for 2 days and sedentary activities on another 2 days in counterbalanced sequences. During a preliminary visit, the FLEX heart rate method was used to predict individual exercise durations eliciting 1.5MJ energy expenditure. Morning and afternoon cycling exercise was subsequently imposed in the laboratory on 2 consecutive days as part of the 5-day intervention. Energy intake was measured via observation with meals being standardised between conditions, prepared and weighed by the research team. Hunger, fullness and desire to eat were rated by subjects immediately before and after meals and exercise. Energy expenditure was significantly elevated in the exercise condition, compared to sedentary. No exercise-induced differences in total daily or 5-day total energy intake were observed between groups or treatments. Overweight girls, however, rated their appetite immediately after exercise as being stronger than they rated it before exercise. In response to exercise-induced energy expenditure, 11-year old overweight and lean girls did not elevate their energy intake over a 5-day period.