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


METHODS
A total of 44 healthy adult men (aged: 43 +/- 5 years; BMI: 27.3 +/- 3.2 kg/m(2)).


METHODS
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.
Mars
M
M
Division of Human Nutrition, Wageningen University, The Netherlands.
de Graaf
C
C
de Groot
C P G M
CP
van Rossum
C T M
CT
Kok
F J
FJ
D000328:Adult; D001066:Appetite / Q000502:physiology*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D031204:Caloric Restriction; D015331:Cohort Studies; D002149:Energy Intake / Q000502:physiology; D005215:Fasting / Q000097:blood / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D006815:Hunger / Q000502:physiology; D020738:Leptin / Q000097:blood* / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology
D020738:Leptin