# Attenuation of Post-Exercise Energy Intake Following 12 Weeks of Sprint Interval Training in Men and Women with Overweight

PMID: 35405974
Journal: Nutrients
Published: 2022 Mar 24
Authors: Beer NJ, Jackson B, Dimmock JA, Guelfi KJ

## Question

Does 12 weeks of need-supportive sprint interval training change post-exercise energy intake and appetite-related responses compared with moderate continuous cycling?

## Summary

In inactive adults with overweight or obesity, 12 weeks of supervised cycling sprint interval training paired with psychological need support reduced later snack intake after an acute exercise test. Continuous cycling did not show the same snack-intake reduction, but the study cannot separate the interval format from the need-support coaching.

## Population

- Physically inactive adults with overweight or obesity
- Sample size: 36
- Age: 18-40 years
- Sex: 6 men, 30 women
- Fitness level: Physically inactive, <=75 min moderate-to-vigorous physical activity/week
- Health status: BMI >=25 kg/m2; excluded diabetes, cardiovascular disease, eating disorders, current dieting, pregnancy, and appetite-affecting medication

## Methodology

- Pair-matched between-subjects intervention with random allocation within matched pairs
- 12 weeks
- Supervised exercise laboratory
- Randomized and controlled study design.

## Protocol

- Need-support sprint interval training.
- Modality: Cycle ergometer sprint intervals.
- Work intervals: 15 s at 170% VO2peak power.
- Recovery: 60 s active recovery at 32% VO2peak power.
- Sets or repetitions: 24 to 40 intervals/session depending on week.
- Intensity: 170% VO2peak power for work intervals.
- Session duration: 30 to 50 min plus 3 min warm-up.
- Frequency: 3 sessions/week.
- Program length: 12 weeks.
- Progression: Session duration increased from 30 to 50 min; intervals increased from 24 to 40; workloads adjusted after week 6 VO2 test.
- Moderate-intensity continuous training.
- Modality: Continuous cycle ergometer exercise.
- Work intervals: Continuous exercise.
- Sets or repetitions: One continuous bout.
- Intensity: 60% VO2peak power.
- Session duration: 30 to 50 min plus 3 min warm-up.
- Frequency: 3 sessions/week.
- Program length: 12 weeks.
- Progression: Session duration increased in parallel with SIT; workloads adjusted after week 6 VO2 test.

## Outcomes

### Snack intake
Status: improved
SIT reduced later snack intake after training; MICT did not.

Total snack intake condition x time p = 0.020; unhealthy snack intake p = 0.003; SIT snack energy 807 +/- 550 to 422 +/- 468 kJ, p < 0.05

### Immediate meal
Status: no clear change
Energy intake during the first 30 min meal after acute exercise was unchanged.

No significant change reported for immediate test meal intake

### Appetite markers
Status: no clear change
Fasting hunger, fullness, ghrelin, leptin, and insulin did not differ meaningfully.

No significant condition effects reported for these markers

### VO2peak
Status: improved
VO2peak increased over time without a clear group-specific advantage.

Time effect p = 0.026; no group interaction reported

### Motivation
Status: improved
Need-supportive SIT produced stronger autonomy/competence support and motivation-related ratings.

SIT showed higher perceived autonomy-support, competence-support, enjoyment, value, competence, and intrinsic motivation change

## Practical Insights

- Very short cycling work intervals can be paired with long recoveries and strong autonomy-support coaching.
- Post-exercise eating behavior may be a relevant outcome when designing weight-management HIIT programs.
- Because coaching style differed between groups, do not attribute snack-intake changes to interval structure alone.

## Limitations

- Cannot isolate SIT format from psychological need-support coaching
- Predominantly women
- Not powered for sex-specific responses
- COVID-related attrition
- Laboratory snack intake may not reflect free-living eating

## Safety And Adherence

- High attendance was reported and the protocol was described as well tolerated; no specific adverse events were identified in the article text.

## Original Sources

- [PubMed](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35405974/) (pubmed)
- [DOI](https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14071362) (doi)
- [PMC full text](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9003424/) (full text)

## Agent Guidance

Preserve the paper-level scope of this note. Do not generalize beyond the population, protocol, measured outcomes, and limitations above.