Moderate physical activity permits acute coupling between serum leptin and appetite–satiety measures in obese women

Abstract

OBJECTIVES:To investigate whether moderate physical activity or snack intake influence appetite sensations and subsequent food intake in obese women. Associations between serum leptin and appetite ratings were also investigated. METHODS: In all, 10 obese women (mean age7s.d.: 50.078.5 y; mean body mass index (BMI)7s.d.: 37.276.5 kg m À2 ) were submitted in random order to three trials: Moderate physical activity (20 min brisk walking), Snack (58.5 g chocolatebased) and Control (sitting, TV-watching). Appetite and satiety were assessed by visual analogue scales, and serum leptin, blood glucose and plasma free fatty acids were measured at baseline, pre-and postintervention and 1 h postintervention (ie, before dinner). A buffet-style dinner was provided subsequent to the three trials. RESULTS: The moderate physical activity and snack intake both produced lower appetite and higher satiety and fullness perceptions, compared to control, following the intervention. No significant differences were found in subsequent food intake. Serum leptin concentrations did not differ between trials. Serum leptin was not associated with appetite or satiety sensations at any time during the control or the snack trials, but was correlated following moderate physical activity (prospective food consumption r s ¼ À0.83, P ¼ 0.003; hunger r s ¼ À0.79, P ¼ 0.007; desire to eat r s ¼ À0.69, P ¼ 0.02; satiety r s ¼ 0.71, P ¼ 0.02; fullness r s ¼ 0.66, P ¼ 0.04). These associations were not influenced by BMI or fat mass. CONCLUSIONS: Moderate physical activity and snack intake suppress the appetite of obese women acutely. The associations between circulating leptin and appetite-satiety ratings suggest leptin involvement in short-term appetite regulation in response to physical activity-induced factors.

Creating an acute energy deficit without stimulating compensatory increases in appetite: is there an optimal exercise protocol?

“…The use of male participants in the majority of investigations has led some authors to postulate that sex-based differences may occur in the appetite response to exercise due to the critical relationship between energy balance and reproductive function in females (38) . However, the present research suggests that females do not exhibit increased appetite perceptions during the 2 h period after exercise (18,19,29,(31)(32)(33) . Furthermore, a recent study by Hagobian et al (29) directly compared the appetite response to exercise in male and female participants and concluded that 80 min cycling at 70 % VO 2 max did not stimulate increases in appetite in either sex during the 40 min after exercise.…”

“…In accordance with the appetite responses detailed in the previous section, the majority of these studies demonstrated that energy intake was unaffected by exercise (27)(28)(29)(30)32,33,(39)(40)(41) . However, some studies have demonstrated increases (18,19,37,42) or decreases (34,43,44) in energy intake after exercise.…”

“…This relationship has been demonstrated in young men and women (28,30,39,41) , overweight and obese women (32,33) and in response to a variety of exercise modes. Furthermore, Hagobian et al (29) reported no change in energy intake in response to exercise in men and women matched for age and VO 2 max.…”

“…In this regard, Unick et al (33) reported that walking at 70-75 % of the maximum heart rate to expend 13 kJ/kg body mass did not stimulate any compensatory increases in appetite during the 60 min after exercise in overweight and obese women. Similarly, Tsofliou et al (32) did not observe any increases in appetite during the 60 min after 20 min brisk walking in ten obese healthy women. Furthermore, in a direct comparison between obese and normal weight young men, Ueda et al (34) demonstrated that 60 min cycling at 50 % VO 2 max did not stimulate any increases in appetite during the 60 min after exercise in either group.…”

“…The consensus among these studies is that, after the recovery from exercise-induced anorexia, appetite during the postexercise period does not differ from a resting control trial (13,15,(17)(18)(19)(25)(26)(27)(28)(29)(30)(31)(32)(33)(34) . However, although appetite perceptions do not appear to decrease during the post-exercise period, it must be acknowledged that some investigations have reported elevated appetite perceptions after exercise compared with a control trial (35)(36)(37) .…”