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Hunger decreases with age in adults with obesity
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NEW ORLEANS — Hunger and ghrelin levels may be lower and peptide YY levels may be higher in older compared with younger adults with obesity, according to findings presented at the Endocrine Society Annual Meeting.
“Appetite regulation changes with age, but few studies have been conducted in older adult populations,” Sean J. Iwamoto, MD, instructor of medicine in the division of endocrinology, metabolism and diabetes at the University of Colorado School of Medicine and Rocky Mountain Regional VA Medical Center and advanced fellow in geriatrics for geriatric research, education and clinical care at VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System in Denver, told Endocrine Today. “There is a concept of ‘anorexia of aging’ in which older adults have weight loss associated with deceased hunger and energy intake. However, obesity rates are also increasing among the elderly.”
In a cross-sectional pilot study with six adults aged 65 to 85 years (mean age, 71.3 years; mean BMI, 32.8 kg/m2) and 15 adults aged 21 to 45 years (mean age, 32.8 years, mean BMI, 32.6 kg/m2), Iwamoto, and colleagues compared appetite, ad libitum energy intake, ghrelin, peptide YY and GLP-1.
Participants began the study in a fasting state. At baseline, appetite was measured for hunger and satiety. In addition, measures of peptides were taken. Participants then ate a test breakfast meal and were observed for 3 hours, with peptide measurements taken at 30-minute intervals.
Based on area under the curve, the older adults had lower levels of hunger (P = .04) than the younger adults. According to the researchers, older adults had a higher AUC in relation to peptide YY compared with the younger group (P = .04). There was no significant difference between the groups in satiety, food cravings, restraint, disinhibition, leptin and GLP-1.
“Further research is needed to help us determine the significance of the differences in appetite-related peptides and behaviors in older and younger adults with obesity. There may also be potential age-specific interventions for weight management based on future studies with more participants,” Iwamoto said. “These results also raise questions to further study, including sex-differences in appetite-related peptides and behaviors as well as comparing cohorts with obesity with those of normal weight.” – by Phil Neuffer
Reference:
Iwamoto SI, et al. MON-099. Age-related differences in appetite regulation among adults with obesity: More than just hunger and PYY and ghrelin? Oh my! Presented at: The Endocrine Society Annual Meeting; March 23-26, 2019; New Orleans.
Disclosure: Iwamoto report no relevant financial disclosures.