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  • Original Article
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Fasting leptin and appetite responses induced by a 4-day 65%-energy-restricted diet

International Journal of Obesity volume 30, pages 122–128 (2006)Cite this article

Abstract

Objective:

Animal studies show that the leptin decline after acute severe caloric restriction is a peripheral signal to increase food intake. However, most human studies have failed to observe such a relationship. We studied the acute effects of severe caloric restriction on the association between serum leptin concentrations and subjective appetite.

Subjects:

A total of 44 healthy adult men (aged: 43±5 years; BMI: 27.3±3.2 kg/m2).

Measurements:

Fasting serum leptin concentrations and self-perceived appetite levels were measured during a 4-day diet containing 36% of the estimated energy requirements. Appetite levels were assessed with a 10-point Likert scale, reflecting hunger, fullness, desire to eat, prospective consumption and total appetite.

Results:

After the 4-day energy deficit, fasting leptin concentrations decreased by 39.4% (95% CI: −43.6; −34.9%). This decline was associated with an increase in fasting hunger (r=−0.42; P<0.01), desire to eat (r=−0.39; P<0.05) and total appetite (r=−0.38; P<0.05). Furthermore, the association between fasting leptin concentrations and fasting appetite levels became stronger during the energy restriction period (for total appetite: day 0 r=−0.15, P=0.32; day 2 r=−0.31, P=<0.05; day 4 r=−0.41, P<0.01).

Conclusions:

The acute proportional reduction in fasting leptin after 4-day energy restriction is associated with an increase in self-perceived appetite. Additionally, the inverse association between proportional fasting leptin concentrations and self-perceived appetite response becomes stronger as energy restriction is prolonged. These findings suggest that leptin has an instrumental role in restoring energy balance in humans through the expression of appetite.

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Acknowledgements

We thank the volunteers who participated in this study; the project steering committee of the Peilstation and MORGEN-project; Caroline de Rover, Irma Thus, Ina Hengeveld of the Municipal Health Service Center in Doetinchem; Els Siebelink, Maartje Jansen and Carolien Bouwman for their assistance during the intervention study. The Netherlands Association for Scientific Research supported this research (ZonMW project no. 980-10-007).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Human Nutrition, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands

    M Mars, C de Graaf, C P G M de Groot & F J Kok

  2. Centre for Nutrition and Health, National Institute of Public Health and the Environment, Bilthoven, The Netherlands

    C T M van Rossum

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  1. M Mars
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  2. C de Graaf
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Correspondence to C de Graaf.

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Mars, M., de Graaf, C., de Groot, C. et al. Fasting leptin and appetite responses induced by a 4-day 65%-energy-restricted diet. Int J Obes 30, 122–128 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ijo.0803070

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