Energy Intake And Food Preferences Following Low And Moderate Intensities Of Cycling Desk

With the increase of sedentary behavior in academia, solutions like active desks have gained attention to reduce prolonged sitting. However, their impact on eating behaviors remains unknown. PURPOSE: Evaluate the effects of a pedal desk at light (LPA) and moderate (MPA) exercise intensities, compared to a conventional sitting desk (SIT), on energy intake and food preferences, including visual fixation on food. METHOD: A randomized crossover study used LPA, MPA and SIT conditions during academic tasks. Energy intake and macronutrients were assessed using a standardized buffet, with preferences categorized into five food groups: Low-fat sweet, High-fat Sweet, Low-fat savoury, High-fat savoury, and Fat. Visual fixation during meals was tracked with Tobii Glasses 2 (100 Hz). Statistical analysis was done using ANOVA adopting p < 0.05 significance. RESULTS: No difference in energy or macronutrient intakes were observed between conditions. An increase in Low-fat sweet food consumption was seen in MPA compared to SIT (p = 0.004), mainly attributable to sugary drinks. A mean difference of 105 grams between MPA and SIT (p = 0.046) was also noted. Visual fixation data showed that participants fixated on food for an average of 13% of the thirty-minute mealtime, with similar total fixation times on different food categories across conditions. CONCLUSION: Cycling desks did not affect energy and macronutrient intakes, contributing to a negative energy balance. However, MPA impaired quality of the diet with increased Low-fat sweet food preference and sugary drink consumption compared to a conventional desk. Financing was obtained from Programme de soutien à la réussite de l'Université de Montréal #PA2020 and Canadian Institutes of Health Research and Fonds de recherche Québec -Santé #32983. ME Mathieu holds a Canada Research Chair on Physical Activity and Juvenile Obesity.