BACKGROUND: Although adolescence and obesity are related to impaired sleep duration and quality, exercise was admitted as a nonpharmacological treatment for sleep and better control of energy balance. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the acute effects of intense exercise on sleep and subsequent dietary intake. METHODS: Sixteen adolescent girls with obesity (age 13.7 +/- 1.1 years, weight 82.7 +/- 10.2 kg, body mass index (BMI) 30.5 +/- 3.4 kg/m2, fat mass (FM) 39.2 +/- 3.1%, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) 8.6 +/- 2.8, paediatric daytime sleepiness scale (PDSS) 19.6 +/- 5.9) took part in two experimental sessions in a random order: control (CTL) and exercise (EX). The two sessions were identical except for a continuous ergocycle exercise bout lasting 40 minutes and performed at 70% VO2max at the end of the morning of EX. Energy expenditure and sleep were measured by accelerometry and next-morning dietary intake in an ad libitum meal. RESULTS: Higher sleep duration (p < 0.03) and quality (decreased WASO p < 0.02; increased SE% p < 0.02) were observed in EX compared with CTL. This was associated with a nonsignificant decrease in caloric intake (-78 kcal) and a significant decrease in food energy density (p < 0.04), fat, and sugar consumption (respectively, p < 0.02 and p < 0.05) the following morning. CONCLUSIONS: Acute exercise efficaciously increased sleep duration and quality, resulting in a decrease in subsequent energy-dense food consumption in adolescent girls with obesity.

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