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.