The influence of 15-week exercise training on dietary patterns among young adults

Abstract

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Little is currently known about how exercise may influence dietary patterns and/or food preferences. The present study aimed to examine the effect of a 15-week exercise training program on overall dietary patterns among young adults. SUBJECTS/METHODS: This study consisted of 2680 young adults drawn from the Training Intervention and Genetics of Exercise Response (TIGER) study. Subjects underwent 15 weeks of aerobic exercise training, and exercise duration, intensity, and dose were recorded for each session using computerized heart rate monitors. In total, 4355 dietary observations with 102 food items were collected using a self-administered food frequency questionnaire before and after exercise training (n = 2476 at baseline; n = 1859 at 15 weeks). Dietary patterns were identified using a Bayesian sparse latent factor model. Changes in dietary pattern preferences were evaluated based on the pre/post-training differences in dietary pattern scores, accounting for the effects of gender, race/ethnicity, and BMI. RESULTS: Within each of the seven dietary patterns identified, most dietary pattern scores were decreased following exercise training, consistent with increased voluntary regulation of food intake. A longer duration of exercise was associated with decreased preferences for the Western ( β : −0.0793; 95% credible interval: −0.1568, −0.0017) and Snacking ( β : −0.1280; 95% credible interval: −0.1877, −0.0637) patterns, while a higher intensity of exercise was linked to an increased preference for the Prudent pattern ( β : 0.0623; 95% credible interval: 0.0159, 0.1111). Consequently, a higher dose of exercise was related to a decreased preference for the Snacking pattern ( β : −0.0023; 95% credible interval: −0.0042, −0.0004) and an increased preference for the Prudent pattern ( β : 0.0029; 95% credible interval: 0.0009, 0.0048). CONCLUSION: The 15-week exercise training appeared to motivate young adults to pursue healthier dietary preferences and to regulate their food intake.

High-intensity Interval Training Promotes the Shift to a Health-Supporting Dietary Pattern in Young Adults

“…Changes in exercise behaviour can also influence nutrition habits by application of self-regulatory psychological resources across behaviours; in particular exercise can facilitate improved fruit/vegetable consumption in young adulthood, a life-period critical to lay the foundation, based on the adoption of a health behaviour, for the prevention of metabolic diseases and for securing a healthy future with advancing age [23]. Joo et al [10] suggested that food choices differ depending on the type (intensity and duration) of the exercise performed. Despite this, to the authors' knowledge, scientific literature regarding the effects of different exercise modalities on dietary habits is still scarce.…”

“…Furthermore, the influence of exercise on dietary preferences is dependent on the type, method, frequency, duration and intensity of exercise performed; the sample sizes and characteristics may also affect the results [9]. Recently, Joo et al [10] reported that aerobic exercise of longer duration or higher intensity led to different dietary patterns, even though the trend was toward healthier diets in any case.…”

Preference and detrimental effects of high fat, sugar, and salt diet in wild‐caught Drosophila simulans are reversed by flight exercise

“…Interestingly, the preference for WD in male flies was decreased by exercise. This is supported by observations that exercise training in human subjects leads to healthier dietary preferences (79) and reduces overeating and reward for high-fat food (80).…”

The Effect of a Family-Based Lifestyle Education Program on Dietary Habits, Hepatic Fat and Adiposity Markers in 8–12-Year-Old Children with Overweight/Obesity

“…In this line, Manz et al [43] reported a positive association of physical exercise and recommended daily physical activity with cereal intake among young boys, which suggest that nutritional adaptation as changes in food choices may occur as a response to physical activity [44]. According to the literature [45], a 15-week exercise training could help young adults pursuing healthier dietary preferences, as well as regulating their food intake in young adults. This could explain the between groups difference in DASH score, in which participants in the exercise group improved significantly more their diet quality according to DASH guidelines.…”