Currently submitted to: JMIR Formative Research
Date Submitted: Aug 17, 2026
Open Peer Review Period: Aug 17, 2026 - Oct 12, 2026
(currently open for review)
Warning: This is an author submission that is not peer-reviewed or edited. Preprints - unless they show as "accepted" - should not be relied on to guide clinical practice or health-related behavior and should not be reported in news media as established information.
A randomised feasibility study to explore a mobile intervention to disrupt eating in response to exercise
ABSTRACT
Background:
Maintaining energy balance over time is key to preventing weight gain. However, some individuals may engage in eating in response to exercise, whereby their eating behaviours (e.g., the amount, frequency or type of food consumed) changes before or after exercise. This may reflect a perceived need to replenish energy or a desire to reward oneself with food, potentially undermining weight management.
Objective:
This study aimed to explore the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of an intervention designed to reduce eating in response to exercise.
Methods:
A randomised feasibility study was conducted. The study was preregistered (10.17605/OSF.IO/EG2VB). The intervention comprised educational videos, daily surveys and individualised feedback summaries, all delivered digitally via an app. Primary outcomes included recruitment, retention, fidelity, adherence and acceptability. Secondary outcomes included self-reported eating in response to exercise behaviours, intentions and beliefs.
Results:
Sixty participants were recruited, with 40 randomised to the intervention group and 20 to the control group. Overall, the intervention was found to be feasible and acceptable, however adherence to daily surveys was lower than anticipated (78%), and engagement with feedback summaries was relatively low (48%). The intervention showed preliminary promise for reducing eating in response to exercise, particularly by increasing intentions among adherent participants (OR=4.52, 95% CI 1.28, 16.00); however, findings are tentative due to limited statistical power, and a fully powered trial, including weight-related outcomes, is needed to establish efficacy.
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