Effects of long-term exercise interventions on appetite-regulating hormones in overweight and obese populations:a meta-analysis

Xin Xianyang; Liu Longyan; Guo Yongqing; Wang Hai; Xie Jun

doi:10.12307/2026.123

Abstract：OBJECTIVE:Long-term exercise is recommended as a weight loss strategy,but its specific effects on appetite-regulating hormones in overweight and obese individuals remain unclear.This study aims to evaluate the effect of long-term exercise on appetite-regulating hormones in this population through a meta-analysis. METHODS:A systematic search was conducted in PubMed,EBSCO,Cochrane Library,Web of Science,and Embase for randomized controlled trials from database inception to December 2024.Overweight or obese individuals were included,and the outcome indicators were appetite-regulating hormones(ghrelin,acylated ghrelin,peptide YY,and glucagon-like peptide 1).Meta-analysis was performed using Review Manager 5.4 and Stata 16. RESULTS:Long-term exercise interventions significantly increased ghrelin[standardized mean difference(SMD)=0.46,P=0.007]and glucagon-like peptide 1 levels(SMD=0.43,P=0.04).However,their effects on acylated ghrelin(SMD=-0.18,P=0.39)and peptide YY(SMD=0.23,P=0.39)were not significant.Substantial heterogeneity was relatively high,suggesting potential influences of individual differences and intervention protocols.High-intensity interval training showed the most pronounced effects on appetite-regulating hormone modulation,followed by resistance training.The mechanisms underlying these effects remain unclear.Short-term training exhibited more notable effects on peptide YY and glucagon-like peptide 1 levels,but these effects diminished with extended training duration. CONCLUSION:Long-term exercise can modulate appetite-regulating hormones and suppress appetite in overweight or obese individuals,with high-intensity interval training and resistance training demonstrating significant potential for appetite reduction,which deserves further in-depth research.