Emotional States' Influence on Pre-Exercise Feeding Tolerance

Overseen By Patrick Wilson, PhD

Age: 18 - 65

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: Old Dominion University

Disqualifiers: CVD, Metabolic disorders, Inactivity, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 2

90 Participants Needed

Trial Summary

What is the purpose of this trial?

Many athletes anecdotally report modifying their nutritional intake before competition in order to avoid gut problems, but no studies have evaluated whether emotional state impacts tolerance to pre-exercise feeding. Therefore, this study will use movie clips (stressful, horror, and funny/amusing) to induce different mood states and emotions, which will be followed by ingestion of food before endurance running on a treadmill. In addition, metabolic and physiologic responses to mood induction will be evaluated.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications.

What data supports the effectiveness of the treatment Funny/Amusing Video Clips, Horror/Scary Video Clips, Thrilling/Suspenseful Video Clips, Stressful Video Clips, Emotional Stimulation?

Research shows that audiovisual stimuli, like video clips, can improve mood and reduce fatigue during exercise, making it more enjoyable. Additionally, emotions that create high energy, such as those from thrilling or scary videos, can enhance exercise performance, especially in individuals who are less active. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Is it safe to use emotional video clips to influence exercise performance?

Research involving emotional video clips, such as funny or scary videos, shows they can influence exercise experiences by affecting mood and motivation. However, there is no specific mention of safety concerns, suggesting they are generally safe for use in humans. ^{1 2 4 6 7}

How does the treatment for emotional states' influence on pre-exercise feeding tolerance differ from other treatments?

This treatment is unique because it explores how emotional states affect tolerance to eating before exercise, focusing on the psychological and emotional aspects rather than just the physical or nutritional components. Unlike standard treatments that might focus solely on diet or exercise, this approach considers the emotional triggers and responses that can influence pre-exercise eating habits. ^{6 7 8 9 10}

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for active individuals aged 18 to 55 who can run for at least 30 minutes and have no allergies to Boost drink ingredients. They must not have cardiovascular or metabolic disorders, nor visual/hearing impairments that would affect their ability to watch and listen to video clips.

Inclusion Criteria

I have no heart disease or metabolic disorders.

I can see and hear well enough to watch video clips.

You exercise regularly, doing activities that make you breathe harder for at least 3 days a week.

Exclusion Criteria

You are not currently active and do not exercise for at least 3 days a week at a moderate or higher intensity.

You have allergies to any of the ingredients in Boost drink.

I have been diagnosed with or show signs of cardiovascular disease or a metabolic disorder.

Timeline

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

1-2 weeks

Mood Induction

Participants watch 5-7 minute video clips to induce different mood states and emotions

1 day

1 visit (in-person)

Feeding and Exercise

Participants ingest food and perform a 30-minute treadmill jogging/running test while physiological and metabolic responses are measured

1 day

1 visit (in-person)

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for safety and effectiveness after the exercise

1-2 weeks

Treatment Details

Interventions

• Funny/Amusing Video Clips
• Horror/Scary Video Clips
• Thrilling/Suspenseful Video Clips

Trial Overview The study examines how different emotions, induced by watching funny, scary, or thrilling video clips before eating, affect the body's response during treadmill running. It will measure changes in metabolism and physical reactions.

Participant Groups

Group I: Thrilling/Suspenseful Video Clips Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Participants will watch 5-7-min video clips that are meant to be thrilling/suspenseful

Group II: Horror/Scary Video Clips Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Participants will watch 5-7-min video clips that are meant to be scary

Group III: Funny/Amusing Video Clips Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Participants will watch 5-7-min video clips that are meant to be funny/amusing

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Old Dominion University

Lead Sponsor

Trials

25

Recruited

15,500+

Findings from Research

Personalized audiovisual stimuli during exercise significantly improved psychological responses, such as reducing feelings of fatigue and enhancing positive emotions, in a study involving 24 adults with obesity.

Participants using sensory stimulation reported greater dissociative thoughts, which helped them focus less on exertion, suggesting that tailored audiovisual content can be beneficial during initial exercise sessions for individuals with obesity.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effects of audiovisual stimuli on psychological and psychophysiological responses during exercise in adults with obesity. Bigliassi, M., Greca, JPA., Barreto-Silva, V., et al.[2019]

People have different emotional responses to physical activity, with some finding it pleasurable and others experiencing discomfort.

By understanding and modifying these emotional responses during exercise, it may be possible to create effective strategies to encourage more people to engage in physical activity.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Affective Response During Real-World Physical Activity as an Intervention Mediator. Dunton, GF., Crosley-Lyons, R., Rhodes, RE.[2023]

Green exercise, which includes nature sounds and visuals, significantly improves mood and reduces stress more effectively than exercise alone or resting, based on a study with 50 participants.

The benefits of green exercise were immediate after the intervention, but no lasting changes in mood or stress were observed 10 minutes later, indicating that while effective, the effects may be short-lived.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Can Simulated Green Exercise Improve Recovery From Acute Mental Stress? Wooller, JJ., Rogerson, M., Barton, J., et al.[2020]

Films and music successfully induced specific emotional states, such as anger and fear, which were tested for their effects on athletic performance.

In slower runners, inducing anger improved 2-mile running speed compared to a neutral emotional state, suggesting that approach-related emotions can enhance exercise performance.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

When Anger Motivates: Approach States Selectively Influence Running Performance. Giles, GE., Horner, CA., Anderson, E., et al.[2023]

Verbal encouragement during small-sided games significantly increased heart rate, perceived exertion, blood lactate levels, and physical enjoyment among 16 male school students, indicating enhanced physiological and psychological responses.

While both sessions with and without verbal encouragement improved mood states, the sessions with encouragement led to greater increases in vigor and overall enjoyment, suggesting that teachers can effectively use verbal motivation to boost student engagement and performance.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effect of the Verbal Encouragement on Psychophysiological and Affective Responses during Small-Sided Games. Sahli, H., Selmi, O., Zghibi, M., et al.[2021]

The study involving 25 professors showed that presenting a lecture, which increased their affective arousal, led to significantly higher levels of physical activity, including more standing, stepping, and posture transitions compared to a non-lecture day.

Results indicated that the immediate aftermath of a stressful situation, like lecturing, can trigger increased restless movement, suggesting that emotional responses to stress may play a key role in influencing daily physical activity levels.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Physical Activity Increases after an Affectively Arousing Daily Life Event. Pollak, MH., Hart, JR.[2020]

A study involving 20 university students showed that different types of media, whether preferred or imposed, significantly affect emotional responses during treadmill walking, with preferred music and videos enhancing feelings of happiness and excitement.

The results indicate that engaging media can improve the enjoyment of exercise, suggesting that incorporating preferred entertainment during workouts may enhance overall exercise experiences.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Experimental investigation of exercise-related hedonic responses to preferred and imposed media content. Frith, E., Loprinzi, PD.[2020]

In a study involving 25 recreationally active individuals, consuming a small meal before exercise did not significantly affect their enjoyment, perceived intensity, or emotional responses during a 30-minute treadmill session.

Despite higher blood glucose levels before exercise in the fed state, the overnight fasting condition resulted in higher post-exercise blood lactate levels, indicating that fasting does not negatively impact the enjoyment or emotional experience of exercise.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effect of Fed State on Self-selected Intensity and Affective Responses to Exercise Following Public Health Recommendations. Rhodewalt, R., Saur, B., Largent, K., et al.[2023]

A study with 84 undergraduate students found that exercise alone significantly improves mood, but adding an enjoyable distraction, like a favorite TV show, further enhances this positive effect.

The results suggest that the enjoyment of distractions during exercise is crucial for maximizing mood benefits, indicating that future research should consider the type of distraction used when studying mood changes after exercise.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

An enjoyable distraction during exercise augments the positive effects of exercise on mood. Privitera, GJ., Antonelli, DE., Szal, AL.[2021]

In a study involving 122 women with obesity, those in the emerging adult group (ages 18-25) showed a greater reduction in sweets intake compared to middle-aged women (ages 45-65) after participating in a cognitive-behavioral treatment that emphasized exercise and self-regulation skills.

Self-regulatory skills significantly mediated the relationship between emotional eating and sweets intake, indicating that improving these skills, along with reducing anxiety through exercise, can help manage unhealthy eating behaviors linked to emotional eating.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Mitigation of the effects of emotional eating on sweets consumption by treatment-associated self-regulatory skills usage in emerging adult and middle-age women with obesity. Annesi, JJ., Johnson, PH.[2021]

References

1. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effects of audiovisual stimuli on psychological and psychophysiological responses during exercise in adults with obesity. [2019]

2. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Affective Response During Real-World Physical Activity as an Intervention Mediator. [2023]

3. Switzerland pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Can Simulated Green Exercise Improve Recovery From Acute Mental Stress? [2020]

4. Switzerland pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

When Anger Motivates: Approach States Selectively Influence Running Performance. [2023]

5. Switzerland pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effect of the Verbal Encouragement on Psychophysiological and Affective Responses during Small-Sided Games. [2021]

6. Switzerland pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Physical Activity Increases after an Affectively Arousing Daily Life Event. [2020]

7. Iran pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Experimental investigation of exercise-related hedonic responses to preferred and imposed media content. [2020]

8. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effect of Fed State on Self-selected Intensity and Affective Responses to Exercise Following Public Health Recommendations. [2023]

9. Turkey pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

An enjoyable distraction during exercise augments the positive effects of exercise on mood. [2021]

10. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Mitigation of the effects of emotional eating on sweets consumption by treatment-associated self-regulatory skills usage in emerging adult and middle-age women with obesity. [2021]