Aerobic and resistance training effects on energy intake: the STRRIDE-AT/RT study

Our study characterizes food and energy intake responses to long-term aerobic training (AT) and resistance training (RT) during a controlled 8-month trial.

In the STRRIDE-AT/RT trial, overweight/obese sedentary dyslipidemic men and women were randomized to AT (n = 39), RT (n = 38), or a combined treatment (AT/RT, n = 40) without any advice to change their food intakes. Quantitative food intake assessments and food frequency questionnaires were collected at baseline (before training) and after 8 months of training (end of training); body mass (BM) and fat-free mass (FFM) were also assessed.

In AT and AT/RT, respectively, meaningful decreases in reported energy intake (REI) (-217 and -202 kcal, P < 0.001) and in intakes of fat (-14.9 and -14.9 g, P < 0.001, P = 0.004), protein (-8.3 and -10.7 g, P = 0.002, P < 0.001), and carbohydrate (-28.1 and -14.7 g, P = 0.001, P = 0.030) were found by food frequency questionnaires. REI relative to FFM decreased (P < 0.001 and P = 0.002), as did intakes of fat (-0.2 and -0.3 g, P = 0.003 and P = 0.014) and protein (-0.1 and -0.2 g, P = 0.005 and P < 0.001) in AT and AT/RT and carbohydrate (-0.5 g, P < 0.003) in AT only. For RT, REI by quantitative daily dietary intake decreased (-3.0 kcal.kg(-1) FFM, P = 0.046), as did fat intake (-0.2 g, P = 0.033). BM decreased in AT (-1.3 kg, P = 0.006) and AT/RT (-1.5 kg, P = 0.001) but was unchanged (0.6 kg, P = 0.176) in RT.

Previously sedentary subjects completing 8 months of AT or AT/RT reduced their intakes of calories and macronutrients and BM. In RT, fat intakes and REI (when expressed per FFM) decreased, BM was unchanged, and FFM increased.