Background:

Acute exercise does not elicit compensatory changes in appetite parameters in lean individuals; however, less is known about responses in overweight individuals. This study compared the acute effects of moderate-intensity exercise on appetite, energy intake and appetite-regulatory hormones in lean and overweight/obese individuals.

Methods:

Forty-seven healthy lean (n= 22, 11 females; mean (sd) 37.5 (15.2) years; 22.4 (1.5) kg m− 2) and overweight/obese (n= 25, 11 females; 45.0 (12.4) years, 29.2 (2.9) kg m− 2) individuals completed two, 8 h trials (exercise and control). In the exercise trial, participants completed 60 min treadmill exercise (59 (4)% peak oxygen uptake) at 0–1 h and rested thereafter while participants rested throughout the control trial. Appetite ratings and concentrations of acylated ghrelin, peptide YY (PYY) and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) were measured at predetermined intervals. Standardised meals were consumed at 1.5 and 4 h and an ad libitum buffet meal was provided at 7 h.

Results:

Exercise suppressed appetite (95% confidence interval (CI)− 3.1 to− 0.5 mm, P= 0.01), and elevated delta PYY (95% CI 10 to 17 pg ml− 1, P< 0.001) and GLP-1 (95% CI 7 to 10 pmol l− 1, P< 0.001) concentrations. Delta acylated ghrelin concentrations (95% CI− 5 to 3 pg ml− 1, P= 0.76) and ad libitum energy intake (95% CI− 391 to 346 kJ, P= 0.90) were similar between trials. Subjective and hormonal appetite parameters and ad libitum energy intake were similar between lean and overweight/obese individuals (P⩾ 0.27). The exercise-induced elevation in delta GLP-1 was greater in overweight/obese individuals (trial-by-group interaction P= 0.01), whereas lean individuals exhibited a greater exercise-induced increase in delta PYY (trial-by-group interaction P< 0.001).

Conclusions:

Acute moderate-intensity exercise transiently suppressed appetite and increased PYY and GLP-1 in the hours after exercise without stimulating compensatory changes in appetite in lean or overweight/obese individuals. These findings underscore the ability of exercise to induce a short-term energy deficit without any compensatory effects on appetite regardless of weight status.