Exercise Adherence By Energy Expenditure Level: Midwest Exercise Trial II (MET II)

To assess the effect of two levels of EEEx on adherence to 10 months of supervised exercise in sedentary, overweight/obese young adults. 115 sedentary, overweight/obese (BMI 25-39.9) young adults (18-30 yrs.; 55% female), were randomized to either 2,000 (N=53; 31 females) or 3,000 (N=62; 32 females) kcal/wk. of treadmill exercise at 70-80% max heart rate (HR), 5 days/wk. (supervised > or =4 days/wk.) over 10 months. Exercise was progressed slowly with participants reaching their target level at the end of month 4. Overall, 64.3% of the sample completed the study per protocol. The majority of attrition (> 95%; n = 39) occurred during months 1-6. Those completing the study did not differ by EEEx (2,000 kcal/wk. = 69.8%, 3,000 kcal/wk. = 59.7%; chi 2(1) = 1.28, p=0.26), sex (males = 71.2%, females = 58.7%; chi 2(1) = 1.92, p=0.17); or baseline weight status (overweight = 64.9%, obese = 63.8%; chi 2(1) = 0.02, p=0.90).