Associations of device-measured physical activity and sedentary time with neural responses to visual food cues in adults: a functional magnetic resonance imaging study

Self-reported physical activity is associated with lower brain food cue responsiveness in reward-related regions, but relationships utilising objective physical activity measurement tools have not been explored. This cross-sectional study examined whether device-measured moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity and sedentary time are related to neural responses to visual food cues using functional magnetic resonance imaging. Fifty-one healthy adults (30 men, 21 women; mean ± SD: age 26 ± 6 years; body mass index 24.1 ± 3.0 kg/m2) underwent a functional magnetic resonance imaging scan after an overnight fast whilst viewing images of high/very high-energy density foods (HED), very low/low-energy density foods (LED) and non-food objects. Free-living moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity and sedentary time were measured for seven consecutive days using an ActiGraph wGT3X-BT and activPAL4 accelerometer, respectively. Associations of behavioural variables with brain food cue reactivity were examined in regression models controlling for physiological and behavioural covariates. After adjusting for age, sex, body mass index and device weartime, moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity was negatively associated with reactivity to LED vs non-food cues in the precentral gyrus, hippocampus, posterior insula and amygdala, which may diminish inhibitory-related responses towards healthier lower energy value foods. Time spent in moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity was positively associated with reactivity to LED vs non-food cues in the dorsal striatum, a region implicated in food motivation. A positive association was identified between sedentary time and reactivity to HED vs non-food cues in the dorsal division of the posterior cingulate gyrus that has been implicated in attention allocation. These findings suggest that moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity may enhance the appeal of and motivation to consume LED foods whereas sedentary time may promote attention towards HED foods, highlighting the potential for engaging in greater physical activity and less sedentary time to positively influence the central (brain) appetite control system.