Frontiers in Physiology (Feb 2023)

Levels of hormones regulating appetite and energy homeostasis in response to a 1.5-Year combined lifestyle intervention for obesity

  • Susanne Kuckuck,
  • Susanne Kuckuck,
  • Eline S. van der Valk,
  • Eline S. van der Valk,
  • Anton J. W. Scheurink,
  • Robin Lengton,
  • Robin Lengton,
  • Mostafa Mohseni,
  • Mostafa Mohseni,
  • Jenny A. Visser,
  • Jenny A. Visser,
  • Anand M. Iyer,
  • Anand M. Iyer,
  • Sjoerd A. A. van den Berg,
  • Sjoerd A. A. van den Berg,
  • Sjoerd A. A. van den Berg,
  • Elisabeth F. C. van Rossum,
  • Elisabeth F. C. van Rossum

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2023.1010858
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 14

Abstract

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Background: Weight loss can induce changes in appetite-regulating hormone levels, possibly linked to increases in appetite and weight regain. However, hormonal changes vary across interventions. Here, we studied levels of appetite-regulating hormones during a combined lifestyle intervention (CLI: healthy diet, exercise and cognitive behavioral therapy).Methods: We measured levels of long-term adiposity-related hormones (leptin, insulin, high-molecular-weight (HMW) adiponectin) and short-term appetite hormones (PYY, cholecystokinin, gastric-inhibitory polypeptide, pancreatic polypeptide, FGF21, AgRP) in overnight-fasted serum of 39 patients with obesity. Hormone levels were compared between T0 (baseline), T1 (after 10 weeks) and T2 (end of treatment, 1.5 years). T0-T1 hormone changes were correlated with T1-T2 anthropometric changes.Results: Initial weight loss at T1 was maintained at T2 (−5.0%, p < 0.001), and accompanied by decreased leptin and insulin levels at T1 and T2 (all p < 0.05) compared to T0. Most short-term signals were not affected. Only PP levels were decreased at T2 compared to T0 (p < 0.05). Most changes in hormone levels during initial weight loss did not predict subsequent changes in anthropometrics, except for T0-T1 decreases in FGF21 levels and T0-T1 increases in HMW adiponectin levels tended to be associated with larger T1-T2 increases in BMI (p < 0.05 and p = 0.05, respectively).Conclusion: CLI-induced weight loss was associated with changes in levels of long-term adiposity-related hormones towards healthy levels, but not with orexigenic changes in most short-term appetite signals. Our data indicates that the clinical impact of alterations in appetite-regulating hormones during modest weight loss remains questionable. Future studies should investigate potential associations of weight-loss-induced changes in FGF21 and adiponectin levels with weight regain.

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