Obesity Abstracts

Background: Contrary to individuals with obesity, substance dependence is characterized by decreased response to food rewards. Methamphetamine (MA) is the second most common illegally used drug in the world and acute aerobic exercise can ameliorate drug craving in methamphetamine users. Men and women differ in food intake and drug seeking. This study aimed at determining sex differences in effects of moderate intensity acute aerobic exercise on food reward and appetite in MA abusers, by using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), Leeds Food Preference Questionnaire (LFPQ) and electronic appetite rating system.

Methods: Twenty-one men (BMI: 24.5±3.2 kg/m²; age: 31.1±3.3 years) and nineteen women (BMI: 23.6±2.2 kg/m²; age: 26.5±4.2 years), who met the DSM-V criteria for MA dependence, were assigned to two groups: Male and Female group. Each group also performed a resting control session for 35 min 1 week before or after the exercise, in a counterbalanced order. After exercise or control session, we using fNIRS to examine PFC responses to high and low fat food images. Food reward for high or low fat and sweet or savoury food images was assessed by LFPQ and subjective feelings of appetite were measured by VAS.

Results: Males show more implicit wanting for high-fat savoury foods than females at baseline. Exercise increased response to high fat foods and decreased response to low fat foods in some PFC regions in both male and female group. Greater relative preference, implicit wanting for high-fat savoury foods and explicit liking for low-fat savoury foods were noted following acute aerobic exercise compared to the control session. Exercise also increased subjective sensations of hunger and decreased feeling of fullness. There were also some correlations between food reward values and PFC responses of fat bias in exercise or control session.

Conclusions: Exercise may reestablish the food reward pathway and sensitivity to natural rewards in individuals with MA-dependence. This may be relevant for other conditions that affect the reward system such as obesity. Specific exercise programs for populations with methamphetamine dependence may be beneficial for recovery.

Keywords: Aerobic exercise, food reward, methamphetamine user, sex difference

Disclosures: None declared.