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The effect of exercise on adiponectin and leptin levels in overweight or obese subjects: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

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Abstract

Introduction

The obesity-induced dysregulated expression of adipokines plays a critical role in the onset of obesity-related diseases. A great number of randomized controlled trails demonstrated that exercise could influence the secretion of adipokines. However, the results have been inconsistent. The aim of the study was to explore the effect of exercise on adipokines’ levels in overweight or obese subjects.

Methods

PubMed, EMBASE and other databases were searched up to January 2016. A total of 21 studies, including 1218 participants, were included in the meta-analysis.

Results

Exercise was statistically associated with an increase in the adiponectin level (WMD 0.67, P < 0.001) and a reduction in the leptin level (WMD −1.06, P < 0.001). Subgroup analyses indicated that a larger change for the adiponectin level was found in Asian subjects (WMD 1.49, P < 0.001) and those with diet co-intervention (WMD 0.81, P = 0.003), combinative exercise (WMD 0.81, P = 0.003) and a training duration >8 weeks (WMD 0.79, P = 0.014). For leptin, exercise was more effective in subjects with diet co-intervention (WMD −3.09, P < 0.001), aerobic exercise (WMD −3.57, P < 0.001), a training duration >8 weeks (WMD −1.55, P < 0.001) and a training time ≥60 min per week (WMD −1.14, P = 0.005).

Conclusions

These results suggest that an exercise program, with diet co-intervention, can show beneficial effects to ameliorate adipokines dysregulation.

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Acknowledgements

This study was supported by grants from the Technical Plan of Guangzhou, Guangdong, China (2014J4100129), and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (81470750).

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Author notes

  1. Hanxiao Lin and Minling Hu contributed equally to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Nutrition, Guangzhou First People’s Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, 602 Ren Min Bei Road, Guangzhou, 510180, People’s Republic of China

    Hanxiao Lin

  2. Department of Endocrinology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, S253 Industry Boulevard, Guangzhou, 510282, People’s Republic of China

    Hua Zhang

  3. Department of Biostatistics, Southern Medical University, S1023 Shatai Boulevard, Guangzhou, 510515, People’s Republic of China

    Yuxia Yan

  4. Department of Endocrinology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Clinical Medicine, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, S19 Nonglin Boulevard, Guangzhou, 510080, People’s Republic of China

    Minling Hu

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  1. Hanxiao Lin
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Correspondence to Hua Zhang.

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Lin, H., Hu, M., Yan, Y. et al. The effect of exercise on adiponectin and leptin levels in overweight or obese subjects: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Sport Sci Health 13, 303–314 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11332-017-0358-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11332-017-0358-5

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