This systematic review aims to analyze the effects of acute and chronic exercise on appetite and appetite regulation in patients with abnormal glycemic control. PubMed, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were searched for eligible studies. The included studies had to report assessments of appetite (primary outcome). Levels of appetite-regulating hormones were analyzed as secondary outcomes (considered, if additionally reported). Seven studies with a total number of 211 patients with prediabetes or type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) met the inclusion criteria. Ratings of hunger, satiety, fullness, prospective food consumption, nausea, and desire to eat, as well as levels of (des-)acylated ghrelin, glucagon-like peptide 1, glucose-dependent insulinotropic peptide, pancreatic polypeptide, peptide tyrosine tyrosine, leptin, and spexin were considered. Following acute exercise, the effects on appetite (measured up to one day post-exercise) varied, while there were either no changes or a decrease in appetite ratings following chronic exercise, both compared to control conditions (without exercise). These results were accompanied by inconsistent changes in appetite-regulating hormone levels. The overall risk of bias was low. The present results provide more evidence for an appetite-reducing rather than an appetite-increasing effect of (chronic) exercise on patients with prediabetes or T2DM. PROSPERO ID: CRD42023459322.
Keywords: appetite; diabetes; exercise; prediabetes; satiety.