AFFECTIVE RESPONSES OF PHYSICALLY ACTIVE AND SEDENTARY INDIVIDUALS DURING AND AFTER MODERATE AEROBIC EXERCISE

Background. This study examined the effects of aerobic fitness and exe rcise history on self-reported affect during and after acute aerobic e xercise and quiet reading. Methods. Active and sedentary participants (N=41) reported their psychological affect during two separate conditi ons in a counterbalanced design: (1) exercise on a cycle ergometer at 50% predicted (V) over dotO(2)max, and (2) quiet reading in a reclinin g chair. Affect was assessed prior to, every 3 minutes during, and at 5 and 20 minutes after each 24-minute exercise and reading period. Res ults, Analysis revealed that active participants were significantly mo re positive than the sedentary group during exercise and at 5 minutes postexercise, The groups were similar in affect at 20 minutes postexer cise, No between-group differences were found during the reading condi tion. Exercise enhanced affect compared to reading only for the active group. Ln addition, the affective responses of both groups were influ enced by pre-exercise affect, with the greatest increases observed for those reporting the lowest affect before activity. Conclusions. These results suggest that affective responses during and after aerobic exe rcise were influenced by exercise history and aerobic fitness, but mod erated by pre-activity scores.