R01DK126814
Project Grant
Overview
Grant Description
Does When You Exercise Matter? A Randomized Trial Comparing the Effect of Morning versus Evening Aerobic Exercise on Weight Loss and Compensatory Behaviors - Project Summary & Abstract
Does what time of day you exercise matter for weight loss? The objective of this proposal is to determine the effect of an equivalent dose of morning versus evening aerobic exercise on change in body weight, energy intake (EI), and components of energy expenditure (EE) in adults with overweight or obesity.
Nearly two-thirds of US adults who attempt to lose weight engage in exercise as a strategy for weight loss. However, weight loss from exercise alone is often substantially less than predicted based on the calories burned in exercise. This is due to compensatory changes that occur in response to exercise (e.g. increases in EI and decreases in non-exercise EE) that limit the energy deficit produced by exercise. Thus, strategies that reduce the compensatory response could enhance the weight loss efficacy of exercise.
Preliminary data suggests that morning exercise may limit development of compensation and thus be superior to evening exercise for weight loss. In a secondary data analysis of a 10-month supervised exercise intervention in adults with overweight or obesity, individuals who predominantly exercised in the morning exhibited three-fold greater weight loss compared to individuals who predominantly exercised in the evening, despite equivalent exercise EE and adherence. Further, 81% of morning exercisers achieved =5% weight loss, compared to 36% of evening exercisers. There was also evidence of differences in compensation. Despite no intervention on diet, morning exercisers decreased EI across the intervention, while evening exercisers increased EI. Morning exercisers increased total daily energy expenditure (TDEE) proportionately to the EE of exercise, while evening exercisers demonstrated attenuated increases in TDEE. However, these results were from a retrospective analysis in which participants were categorized by the time of day in which they predominantly performed exercise sessions. A rigorously designed randomized trial is needed to confirm these novel findings.
In the proposed study, adults with overweight or obesity will be randomized to 7 months of supervised aerobic exercise (2000 kcal/week) performed either in the morning or the evening, and then followed for an additional 6 months. The central hypothesis is that morning exercise will result in greater weight loss as compared to evening exercise due to attenuated development of compensatory changes in EI and EE. The study will compare the effects of morning versus evening exercise on changes in body weight and body composition (Aim 1), changes in EI and appetite (Aim 2), changes in EE, non-exercise physical activity, and sedentary time (Aim 3), and changes in meal timing and sleep (exploratory Aim 4). The approach is rigorous and innovative as exercise will be prescribed based on EE using indirect calorimetry, free-living TDEE and EI will be measured objectively (doubly-labeled water), and 24-hr patterns of physical activity, sedentary time, meal timing, and sleep will be measured to understand pathways through which exercise timing alters energetics and weight loss.
The study is significant as it could identify a practicable strategy to enhance weight loss from exercise and provide insight on how timing of exercise impacts compensatory behaviors.
Does what time of day you exercise matter for weight loss? The objective of this proposal is to determine the effect of an equivalent dose of morning versus evening aerobic exercise on change in body weight, energy intake (EI), and components of energy expenditure (EE) in adults with overweight or obesity.
Nearly two-thirds of US adults who attempt to lose weight engage in exercise as a strategy for weight loss. However, weight loss from exercise alone is often substantially less than predicted based on the calories burned in exercise. This is due to compensatory changes that occur in response to exercise (e.g. increases in EI and decreases in non-exercise EE) that limit the energy deficit produced by exercise. Thus, strategies that reduce the compensatory response could enhance the weight loss efficacy of exercise.
Preliminary data suggests that morning exercise may limit development of compensation and thus be superior to evening exercise for weight loss. In a secondary data analysis of a 10-month supervised exercise intervention in adults with overweight or obesity, individuals who predominantly exercised in the morning exhibited three-fold greater weight loss compared to individuals who predominantly exercised in the evening, despite equivalent exercise EE and adherence. Further, 81% of morning exercisers achieved =5% weight loss, compared to 36% of evening exercisers. There was also evidence of differences in compensation. Despite no intervention on diet, morning exercisers decreased EI across the intervention, while evening exercisers increased EI. Morning exercisers increased total daily energy expenditure (TDEE) proportionately to the EE of exercise, while evening exercisers demonstrated attenuated increases in TDEE. However, these results were from a retrospective analysis in which participants were categorized by the time of day in which they predominantly performed exercise sessions. A rigorously designed randomized trial is needed to confirm these novel findings.
In the proposed study, adults with overweight or obesity will be randomized to 7 months of supervised aerobic exercise (2000 kcal/week) performed either in the morning or the evening, and then followed for an additional 6 months. The central hypothesis is that morning exercise will result in greater weight loss as compared to evening exercise due to attenuated development of compensatory changes in EI and EE. The study will compare the effects of morning versus evening exercise on changes in body weight and body composition (Aim 1), changes in EI and appetite (Aim 2), changes in EE, non-exercise physical activity, and sedentary time (Aim 3), and changes in meal timing and sleep (exploratory Aim 4). The approach is rigorous and innovative as exercise will be prescribed based on EE using indirect calorimetry, free-living TDEE and EI will be measured objectively (doubly-labeled water), and 24-hr patterns of physical activity, sedentary time, meal timing, and sleep will be measured to understand pathways through which exercise timing alters energetics and weight loss.
The study is significant as it could identify a practicable strategy to enhance weight loss from exercise and provide insight on how timing of exercise impacts compensatory behaviors.
Funding Goals
(1) TO PROMOTE EXTRAMURAL BASIC AND CLINICAL BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH THAT IMPROVES THE UNDERSTANDING OF THE MECHANISMS UNDERLYING DISEASE AND LEADS TO IMPROVED PREVENTIONS, DIAGNOSIS, AND TREATMENT OF DIABETES, DIGESTIVE, AND KIDNEY DISEASES. PROGRAMMATIC AREAS WITHIN THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF DIABETES AND DIGESTIVE AND KIDNEY DISEASES INCLUDE DIABETES, DIGESTIVE, ENDOCRINE, HEMATOLOGIC, LIVER, METABOLIC, NEPHROLOGIC, NUTRITION, OBESITY, AND UROLOGIC DISEASES. SPECIFIC PROGRAMS AREAS OF INTEREST INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING: (A) FOR DIABETES, ENDOCRINE, AND METABOLIC DISEASES AREAS: FUNDAMENTAL AND CLINICAL STUDIES INCLUDING THE ETIOLOGY, PATHOGENESIS, PREVENTION, DIAGNOSIS, TREATMENT AND CURE OF DIABETES MELLITUS AND ITS COMPLICATIONS, NORMAL AND ABNORMAL FUNCTION OF THE PITUITARY, THYROID, PARATHYROID, ADRENAL, AND OTHER HORMONE SECRETING GLANDS, HORMONAL REGULATION OF BONE, ADIPOSE TISSUE, AND LIVER, ON FUNDAMENTAL ASPECTS OF SIGNAL TRANSDUCTION, INCLUDING THE ACTION OF HORMONES, COREGULATORS, AND CHROMATIN REMODELING PROTEINS, HORMONE BIOSYNTHESIS, SECRETION, METABOLISM, AND BINDING, AND ON HORMONAL REGULATION OF GENE EXPRESSION AND THE ROLE(S) OF SELECTIVE RECEPTOR MODULATORS AS PARTIAL AGONISTS OR ANTAGONISTS OF HORMONE ACTION, AND FUNDAMENTAL STUDIES RELEVANT TO METABOLIC DISORDERS INCLUDING MEMBRANE STRUCTURE, FUNCTION, AND TRANSPORT PHENOMENA AND ENZYME BIOSYNTHESIS, AND BASIC AND CLINICAL STUDIES ON THE ETIOLOGY, PATHOGENESIS, PREVENTION, AND TREATMENT OF INHERITED METABOLIC DISORDERS (SUCH AS CYSTIC FIBROSIS). (B) FOR DIGESTIVE DISEASE AND NUTRITION AREAS: GENETICS AND GENOMICS OF THE GI TRACT AND ITS DISEASES, GENETICS AND GENOMICS OF LIVER/PANCREAS AND DISEASES, GENETICS AND GENOMICS OF NUTRITION, GENETICS AND GENOMICS OF OBESITY, BARIATRIC SURGERY, CLINICAL NUTRITION RESEARCH, CLINICAL OBESITY RESEARCH, COMPLICATIONS OF CHRONIC LIVER DISEASE, FATTY LIVER DISEASE, GENETIC LIVER DISEASE, HIV AND LIVER, CELL INJURY, REPAIR, FIBROSIS AND INFLAMMATION IN THE LIVER, LIVER CANCER, LIVER TRANSPLANTATION, PEDIATRIC LIVER DISEASE, VIRAL HEPATITIS AND INFECTIOUS DISEASES, GASTROINTESTINAL AND NUTRITION EFFECTS OF AIDS, GASTROINTESTINAL MUCOSAL AND IMMUNOLOGY, GASTROINTESTINAL MOTILITY, BASIC NEUROGASTROENTEROLOGY, GASTROINTESTINAL DEVELOPMENT, GASTROINTESTINAL EPITHELIAL BIOLOGY, GASTROINTESTINAL INFLAMMATION, DIGESTIVE DISEASES EPIDEMIOLOGY AND DATA SYSTEMS, NUTRITIONAL EPIDEMIOLOGY AND DATA SYSTEMS, AUTOIMMUNE LIVER DISEASE, BILE, BILIRUBIN AND CHOLESTASIS, BIOENGINEERING AND BIOTECHNOLOGY RELATED TO DIGESTIVE DISEASES, LIVER, NUTRITION AND OBESITY, CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY OF THE LIVER, DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY AND REGENERATION, DRUG-INDUCED LIVER DISEASE, GALLBLADDER DISEASE AND BILIARY DISEASES, EXOCRINE PANCREAS BIOLOGY AND DISEASES, GASTROINTESTINAL NEUROENDOCRINOLOGY, GASTROINTESTINAL TRANSPORT AND ABSORPTION, NUTRIENT METABOLISM, PEDIATRIC CLINICAL OBESITY, CLINICAL TRIALS IN DIGESTIVE DISEASES, LIVER CLINICAL TRIALS, OBESITY PREVENTION AND TREATMENT, AND OBESITY AND EATING DISORDERS. (C) FOR KIDNEY, UROLOGIC AND HEMATOLOGIC DISEASES AREAS: STUDIES OF THE DEVELOPMENT, PHYSIOLOGY, AND CELL BIOLOGY OF THE KIDNEY, PATHOPHYSIOLOGY OF THE KIDNEY, GENETICS OF KIDNEY DISORDERS, IMMUNE MECHANISMS OF KIDNEY DISEASE, KIDNEY DISEASE AS A COMPLICATION OF DIABETES, EFFECTS OF DRUGS, NEPHROTOXINS AND ENVIRONMENTAL TOXINS ON THE KIDNEY, MECHANISMS OF KIDNEY INJURY REPAIR, IMPROVED DIAGNOSIS, PREVENTION AND TREATMENT OF CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE AND END-STAGE RENAL DISEASE, IMPROVED APPROACHES TO MAINTENANCE DIALYSIS THERAPIES, BASIC STUDIES OF LOWER URINARY TRACT CELL BIOLOGY, DEVELOPMENT, PHYSIOLOGY, AND PATHOPHYSIOLOGY, CLINICAL STUDIES OF BLADDER DYSFUNCTION, INCONTINENCE, PYELONEPHRITIS, INTERSTITIAL CYSTITIS, BENIGN PROSTATIC HYPERPLASIA, UROLITHIASIS, AND VESICOURETERAL REFLUX, DEVELOPMENT OF NOVEL DIAGNOSTIC TOOLS AND IMPROVED THERAPIES, INCLUDING TISSUE ENGINEERING STRATEGIES, FOR UROLOGIC DISORDERS,RESEARCH ON HEMATOPOIETIC CELL DIFFERENTIATION, METABOLISM OF IRON OVERLOAD AND DEFICIENCY, STRUCTURE, BIOSYNTHESIS AND GENETIC REGULATION OF HEMOGLOBIN, AS WELL AS RESEARCH ON THE ETIOLOGY, PATHOGENESIS, AND THERAPEUTIC MODALITIES FOR THE ANEMIA OF INFLAMMATION AND CHRONIC DISEASES. (2) TO ENCOURAGE BASIC AND CLINICAL RESEARCH TRAINING AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT OF SCIENTISTS DURING THE EARLY STAGES OF THEIR CAREERS. THE RUTH L. KIRSCHSTEIN NATIONAL RESEARCH SERVICE AWARD (NRSA) FUNDS BASIC AND CLINICAL RESEARCH TRAINING, SUPPORT FOR CAREER DEVELOPMENT, AND THE TRANSITION FROM POSTDOCTORAL BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH TRAINING TO INDEPENDENT RESEARCH RELATED TO DIABETES, DIGESTIVE, ENDOCRINE, HEMATOLOGIC, LIVER, METABOLIC, NEPHROLOGIC, NUTRITION, OBESITY, AND UROLOGIC DISEASES. (3) TO EXPAND AND IMPROVE THE SMALL BUSINESS INNOVATION RESEARCH (SBIR) PROGRAM. THE SBIR PROGRAM AIMS TO INCREASE AND FACILITATE PRIVATE SECTOR COMMERCIALIZATION OF INNOVATIONS DERIVED FROM FEDERAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT, TO ENHANCE SMALL BUSINESS PARTICIPATION IN FEDERAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT, AND TO FOSTER AND ENCOURAGE PARTICIPATION OF SOCIALLY AND ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS AND WOMEN-OWNED SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS IN TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION. (4) TO UTILIZE THE SMALL BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER (STTR) PROGRAM. THE STTR PROGRAM INTENDS TO STIMULATE AND FOSTER SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION THROUGH COOPERATIVE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT CARRIED OUT BETWEEN SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS AND RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS, TO FOSTER TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER BETWEEN SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS AND RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS, TO INCREASE PRIVATE SECTOR COMMERCIALIZATION OF INNOVATIONS DERIVED FROM FEDERAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT, AND TO FOSTER AND ENCOURAGE PARTICIPATION OF SOCIALLY AND ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS AND WOMEN-OWNED SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS IN TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION.
Grant Program (CFDA)
Awarding / Funding Agency
Place of Performance
Aurora,
Colorado
800452595
United States
Geographic Scope
Single Zip Code
Related Opportunity
Analysis Notes
Amendment Since initial award the total obligations have increased 395% from $665,387 to $3,292,338.
The Regents Of The Univ. Of Colorado was awarded
Morning vs. Evening Aerobic Exercise Weight Loss: A Randomized Trial
Project Grant R01DK126814
worth $3,292,338
from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases in August 2021 with work to be completed primarily in Aurora Colorado United States.
The grant
has a duration of 4 years 9 months and
was awarded through assistance program 93.847 Diabetes, Digestive, and Kidney Diseases Extramural Research.
The Project Grant was awarded through grant opportunity Investigator-Initiated Clinical Trials Targeting Diseases within the Mission of NIDDK (R01-Clinical Trial Required) .
Status
(Ongoing)
Last Modified 7/21/25
Period of Performance
8/17/21
Start Date
5/31/26
End Date
Funding Split
$3.3M
Federal Obligation
$0.0
Non-Federal Obligation
$3.3M
Total Obligated
Activity Timeline
Subgrant Awards
Disclosed subgrants for R01DK126814
Transaction History
Modifications to R01DK126814
Additional Detail
Award ID FAIN
R01DK126814
SAI Number
R01DK126814-1396844133
Award ID URI
SAI UNAVAILABLE
Awardee Classifications
Public/State Controlled Institution Of Higher Education
Awarding Office
75NK00 NIH National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
Funding Office
75NK00 NIH National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
Awardee UEI
MW8JHK6ZYEX8
Awardee CAGE
0P6C1
Performance District
CO-06
Senators
Michael Bennet
John Hickenlooper
John Hickenlooper
Budget Funding
Federal Account | Budget Subfunction | Object Class | Total | Percentage |
---|---|---|---|---|
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Health and Human Services (075-0884) | Health research and training | Grants, subsidies, and contributions (41.0) | $1,349,079 | 100% |
Modified: 7/21/25