This study investigated the effects of a 12-week diet versus diet plus aerobic and resistance exercise programme on acylated ghrelin (AG), desacylated ghrelin (DAG), and ghrelin O-acyltransferase (GOAT) concentrations in girls with obesity. We randomised 30 adolescents with obesity to a 12-week aerobic and resistance exercise group (EG) or a control group (CG). At baseline and at 4, 8, and 12 weeks, we measured their body composition, lipid profile, glucose, AG, DAG, and GOAT concentrations. In the EG, the body fat percentage decreased by 2.37% and was significantly lower than that in the CG. The DAG concentrations significantly increased by 48.3% and 27.4% in the EG and CG, respectively. At 4, 8, and 12 weeks, DAG concentrations were significantly higher in the EG than in the CG. AG concentrations were higher at week 12 than at baseline in both groups. In both groups, the GOAT concentrations increased at weeks 8 and 12; however, no between-group differences were observed in the changes in GOAT concentrations. This study showed increased DAG concentrations and non-significant changes in AG and GOAT concentrations after a 12-week aerobic and resistance exercise programme in girls with obesity. These findings suggest that an aerobic and resistance exercise programme influences appetite-regulating hormones, mainly through changes in DAG concentrations.
Keywords: acylated ghrelin; adolescent; deacylated ghrelin; exercise; ghrelin O-acyltransferase; obesity.