title: Low levels of physical activity are associated with dysregulation of energy intake and fat mass gain over 1 year.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Previous studies suggest that appetite may be dysregulated at low levels of activity, creating an energy imbalance that results in weight gain.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim was to examine the relation between energy intake, physical activity, appetite, and weight gain during a 1-y follow-up period in a large sample of adults.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants included 421 individuals (mean ± SD age: 27.6 ± 3.8 y). Measurements included the following: energy intake with the use of interviewer-administered dietary recalls and calculated by using changes in body composition and energy expenditure, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) with the use of an arm-based monitor, body composition with the use of dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, and questionnaire-derived perceptions of dietary restraint, disinhibition, hunger, and control of eating. Participants were grouped at baseline into quintiles of MVPA (min/d) by sex. Measurements were repeated every 3 mo for 1 y.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At baseline, an inverse relation existed between body weight and activity groups, with the least-active group (15.7 ± 9.9 min MVPA/d, 6062 ± 1778 steps/d) having the highest body weight (86.3 ± 13.2 kg) and the most-active group (174.5 ± 60.5 min MVPA/d, 10260 ± 3087 steps/d) having the lowest body weight (67.5 ± 11.0 kg). A positive relation was observed between calculated energy intake and activity group, except in the lowest quintile of activity. The lowest physical activity group reported higher levels of disinhibition (P = 0.07) and cravings for savory foods (P = 0.03) compared with the group with the highest level of physical activity. Over 1 y of follow-up, the lowest activity group gained the largest amount of fat mass (1.7 ± 0.3 kg) after adjustment for change in MVPA and baseline fat mass. The odds of gaining >3% of fat mass were between 1.8 and 3.8 times as high for individuals in the least-active group as for those in the middle activity group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that low levels of physical activity are a risk factor for fat mass gain. In the current sample, a threshold for achieving energy balance occurred at an activity level corresponding to 7116 steps/d, an amount achievable by most adults. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT01746186.
authors.affiliation: Department of Kinesiology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA; rshook@iastate.edu.
authors.forename: Robin P
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5947-1198
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Shook
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV;
authors.forename: Gregory A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Hand
authors.affiliation: Departments of Exercise Science.
authors.forename: Clemens
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Drenowatz
authors.affiliation: Epidemiology and Biostatistics, and South Carolina Statewide Cancer Prevention and Control Program, Arnold School of Public Health, and Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC;
authors.forename: James R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Hebert
authors.affiliation: Departments of Exercise Science.
authors.forename: Amanda E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Paluch
authors.affiliation: Institute of Psychological Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom;
authors.forename: John E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Blundell
authors.affiliation: Anschutz Health & Wellness Center, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO; and.
authors.forename: James O
authors.initials: JO
authors.lastname: Hill
authors.affiliation: Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Baton Rouge, LA.
authors.forename: Peter T
authors.initials: PT
authors.lastname: Katzmarzyk
authors.affiliation: Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Baton Rouge, LA.
authors.forename: Timothy S
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Church
authors.affiliation: Departments of Exercise Science, Epidemiology and Biostatistics, and.
authors.forename: Steven N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Blair
mesh_terms: D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon; D056044:Actigraphy; D050154:Adiposity; D000328:Adult; D001069:Appetite Regulation; D015992:Body Mass Index; D015331:Cohort Studies; D002149:Energy Intake; D004734:Energy Metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008954:Models, Biological; D009043:Motor Activity; D050177:Overweight / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control; D012307:Risk Factors; D057185:Sedentary Behavior; D015430:Weight Gain; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: energy balance; energy intake; obesity; physical activity; weight gain