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Diet, Metabolic Health, and Exercise Responses

Dietary Fat Quality, Metabolic Health, Cognitive Function, and Responses to Standardized Moderate-Intensity Exercise in Young Adults

Who can join

Ages 18 to 60 · All sexes

Inclusion Criteria:

* Age 18 years or older.
* Able to provide written informed consent.
* Able and willing to complete two laboratory visits, dietary recording, cognitive assessments, and exercise testing.
* Able to safely complete submaximal exercise testing and a 30-minute moderate-intensity cycling session, as determined by health-history screening and the Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire Plus (PAR-Q+).
* Willing to complete dietary records and follow pre-visit instructions.

Exclusion Criteria:

* Known cardiovascular, pulmonary, metabolic, neurological, psychiatric, or other medical condition that could make exercise testing or moderate-intensity exercise unsafe or substantially affect study outcomes.
* Current pregnancy.
* Current smoking.
* Medication use that could substantially affect metabolic, cardiovascular, cognitive, or exercise-response outcomes, as determined by the investigators.

Orthopedic injury, mobility limitation, or other physical condition that prevents safe cycling or exercise testing.

* Resting heart rate greater than 100 beats per minute.
* Resting blood pressure greater than 160/100 mmHg.
* Electrocardiogram abnormality requiring further medical evaluation.
* Positive PAR-Q+ response or other health-screening finding indicating that medical clearance is required and has not been obtained.
* Inability or unwillingness to complete study procedures, fasting requirements, dietary records, or pre-visit restrictions.
* Any other condition that, in the judgment of the research team, would make participation unsafe or interfere with valid completion of the study procedures.

About the study

Regular physical activity, healthy dietary habits, and good metabolic health are associated with numerous physical and cognitive health benefits. However, individuals vary substantially in their affective, motivational, and cognitive responses to exercise, and the factors contributing to this variability are not fully understood.

This prospective observational study will examine whether habitual dietary fat quality and metabolic health are associated with exercise responses, cognitive function, and academic-related outcomes in healthy young adults. Participants will complete assessments of dietary intake, body composition, metabolic health, aerobic fitness, cognitive function, and academic engagement. They will also complete a standardized moderate-intensity cycling session during which affective responses, exercise enjoyment, subjective energy, and motivation for future physical activity will be assessed.

The findings will improve understanding of how habitual dietary habits and metabolic health may influence responses to exercise and cognitive functioning and may help inform future lifestyle recommendations aimed at promoting physical activity participation, cognitive performance, and overall health.

What is being tested

• Standardized Moderate-Intensity Cycling Session (behavioral)

Sponsor: University of Wisconsin, River Falls · Participants: 100 · Started: Aug 1, 2026

Contact the study team

• Gregory Ruegsegger, PhD · Phone: 715-425-4945
• Ricky Lopez, MS · Phone: 715-425-4138

Official record on ClinicalTrials.gov — NCT07728240

Locations in the U.S.

From ClinicalTrials.gov, data retrieved Sep 30, 2026. Each study sets its own eligibility; the study team decides who can join.