PURPOSE: This efficacy trial tests the hypothesis that exercise training favorably affects hedonic eating (ie, overeating, stress-induced overeating, disinhibited eating, eating when tempted), in a sample of women who are overweight or obese. METHODS: Participants were inactive at baseline, self-identified as "stress eaters", and were randomized to 12 wk of moderate-intensity exercise training (EX; combination of supervised and objectively confirmed unsupervised sessions) or to a no-exercise control condition (CON). EX participants were given an exercise goal of 200 min/wk. No dietary instructions or weight control strategies were provided. Assessments occurred at baseline and 12 wk. Overeating episodes, stress-induced overeating, and dietary temptations were measured over 14 d at each assessment using ecological momentary assessment. Disinhibition and dietary restraint were assessed via a questionnaire. RESULTS: Forty-nine participants (age 40.4 +/- 10.8 yr; body mass index 32.4 +/- 4.1 kg/m2) enrolled, and 39 completed this study. Adherence to the exercise intervention was high (99.4% of all prescribed exercise). At week 12, the proportion of eating episodes that were characterized as overeating episodes was lower in EX versus CON (21.98% in EX versus 26.62% in control; p = 0.001). Disinhibition decreased in EX but not in CON (p = 0.02) and was driven by internal factors. There was a trend such that CON was more likely to give into dietary temptations (p = 0.08). Stress-induced overeating was low and did not differ between conditions (p = 0.61). CONCLUSIONS: Exercise training reduced the likelihood of overeating and eating in response to internal cues in women who self-identified as stress eaters. This may be one pathway by which exercise affects body weight.

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