Impact of dieting status and dietary restraint on postexercise energy intake in overweight women.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the unknown relationship between dieting status and dietary restraint on postexercise energy intake (PE-EI) in overweight sedentary women after a bout of moderate-intensity exercise. Specifically, this was investigated in women who were categorized as dieting with high restraint, nondieting with high restraint, or nondieting with low restraint.

RESEARCH METHODS AND PROCEDURES

This study consisted of two experimental conditions, exercise (E) and nonexercise (NE) in a counterbalanced-crossover design on 2 different days. On the E day, the subjects participated in moderate-intensity exercise, walking on a treadmill for 60 minutes at 60% to 70% of their maximum heart rate. PE-EI at lunch and 12 hours after was compared on the E and an NE day. Dietary restraint was determined using the Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire.

RESULTS

Participants (n = 36) were 26 +/- 7 years of age, sedentary, and had a mean body mass index of 27 +/- 3 kg/m(2). There was a significant interaction (F((2,33)) = 3.32, p = 0.049) of dieting/restraint status and condition (E vs. NE day) on 12-hour EI. The mean difference in 12-hour EI between the E and the NE day was significantly higher (p < 0.01) for the dieting with high restraint than for the nondieting with high restraint.

DISCUSSION

The results of this study demonstrate that dieting status, high dietary restraint, and higher levels of disinhibition may influence PE-EI in overweight women after a bout of moderate-intensity physical activity.