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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2023 Jun;46(3):429-439.
doi: 10.1007/s10865-022-00370-x. Epub 2022 Nov 3.

How do previously inactive individuals restructure their time to 'fit in' morning or evening exercise: a randomized controlled trial

Paige G Brooker  1 , Sjaan R Gomersall  2   3 , Neil A King  4 , Nicholas F McMahon  2 , Michael D Leveritt  2
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

How do previously inactive individuals restructure their time to 'fit in' morning or evening exercise: a randomized controlled trial

Paige G Brooker et al. J Behav Med. 2023 Jun.

Abstract

The objective of this study was to investigate changes in sedentary and active behaviors when previously inactive adults start exercising in the morning or evening. One-hundred adults with overweight or obesity (BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2) were recruited for a 12-week intervention and randomized to one of three groups: (i) morning exercise (AMEx; 0600-0900); (ii) evening exercise (PMEx; 1600-1900); or (iii) waitlist control. AMEx and PMEx were prescribed self-paced aerobic exercise to achieve a weekly total of 250 min via a combination of supervised and unsupervised training. Sedentary and active behavior times were measured at baseline, mid- and post-intervention using the multimedia activity recall for children and adults. Time spent engaging in physical activity was significantly increased from baseline at both mid- (+ 14-22 min·day-1) and post-intervention (+ 12-19 min·day-1), for AMEx and PMEx. At 12-weeks, participants in both morning and evening exercise groups reported increased time spent Sleeping (+ 36 and + 20 min·day-1, respecitively), and reduced time spent watching TV/playing videogames (- 32 and - 25 min·day-1, respectively). In response to an exercise stimulus, previously inactive adults make encouraging modifications in how they use their time, and the patterns of change are similar with morning and evening exercise.

Keywords: Exercise time-of-day; Obesity; Physical activity; Randomized controlled trial; Use of time.

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Conflict of interest statement

Not applicable.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
CONSORT flow diagram of participant progression through the study Abbreviations: AMEx, morning exercise; PMEx, evening exercise; CON, control
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Change in time (min·day−1) spent in the 11 Superdomains, relative to baseline, measured by MARCA. (A) AMEx, mid-intervention; (B) AMEx, post-intervention; (C) PMEx, mid-intervention; (D) PMEx, post-intervention; (E) CON, mid-intervention; (F) CON, post-intervention. Note The radar chart use a radial display of the 11 Superdomains on different quantitative axes. Each axis represents a quantitiat for each superdomain. Data plotted on the zero axis represents the time spent (min·day−1) in that superdomain is equal to the baseline value. Positive values (i.e., > 0) indicate more time was spent in that superdomain compared with baseline, and negative values (i.e., < 0) indicate less time was spent in that superdomain compared with baseline. Abbreviations MARCA, multimedia activity recall for children and adults; AMEx, morning exercise; PMEx, evening exercise; CON, control; PA, physical activity; TV, television; min: minutes
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