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Appetite Hormones may predict Weight Regain
after Dieting
Newswise, September 2010— Many people have
experienced the frustration that comes with
regaining weight that was lost from dieting.
According to a new study accepted for
publication in The Endocrine Society’s Journal
of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (JCEM),
the levels of appetite hormones in the body
prior to dieting may serve as a predictor of
weight regain after dieting.
“Treating obesity with drugs or dietary
programs can be very effective in the
short-term, but the long-term success of
maintaining the weight lost is usually
poor,” said Ana Crujeiras, PhD, of Compejo
Hospitalario Universitario de Santiago in
Spain and lead author of the study.
“Our study sheds light on how the appetite
hormones leptin and ghrelin affect weight
regain after weight loss. This knowledge
could be used as a tool to personalize
weight-loss programs that could guarantee
success in keeping off the weight.”
In this study, researchers evaluated a group
of 104 obese or overweight men and women
during an 8-week low-calorie diet and again
32 weeks after treatment. Researchers
measured body weight as well as plasma
fasting ghrelin, leptin and insulin
concentrations before, during and after
dieting.
They found that subjects with higher plasma
leptin and lower ghrelin levels before
dieting were more prone to regain weight
lost after dieting and that these hormone
levels could be proposed as biomarkers for
predicting obesity-treatment outcomes.
“We believe this research is of foremost
relevance in clinical terms as it may
indicate that the outcome of weight therapy
may be pre-conditioned,” said Crujeiras.
“Furthermore, our findings may provide
endocrinology and nutrition professionals a
tool to identify individuals in need of
specialized weight-loss programs that first
target appetite hormone levels before
beginning conventional dietary treatment.”
Other researchers working on the study
include: Estíbaliz Goyenechea, Itziar Abete
and J. Alfredo Martínez of the University of
Navarra in Spain; and Mary Lage, Marcos
Carreira and Felipe Casanueva of Compejo
Hospitalario Universitario de Santiago in
Spain. Both research groups belong to the
Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de
la Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición
(CIBERobn), an Instituto de Salud Carlos III
iniciative.
The article, “Weight regain after a
diet-induced loss is predicted by higher
baseline leptin and lower ghrelin plasma
levels,” will appear in the November 2010
issue of JCEM.
Founded in 1916, The Endocrine Society is
the world’s oldest, largest and most active
organization devoted to research on hormones
and the clinical practice of endocrinology.
Today, The Endocrine Society’s membership
consists of over 14,000 scientists,
physicians, educators, nurses and students
in more than 100 countries. Society members
represent all basic, applied and clinical
interests in endocrinology. The Endocrine
Society is based in Chevy Chase, Maryland.
To learn more about the Society and the
field of endocrinology, visit our site at www.endo-society.org.
