Date of Completion

2024

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Science in Physical Therapy

Keywords

Obesity, Acute & Chronic Exercises, Metabolism

Abstract

The rising prevalence of Metabolically Healthy Obesity (MHO) poses a significant public health challenge. MHO individuals maintain normal metabolic profiles despite obesity but face risks to their long-term health, especially in metabolic and appetite regulation. This study aimed to compare the effects of acute and chronic exercise on these parameters in MHO adults. A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted, searching databases including Cochrane, EBSCOhost, PubMed, SCOPUS, Proquest, Google Scholar, Clinical Trials, and Science.gov, along with citation and handsearching. From 33,789 initial records from online databases, 18,415 remained after deduplication, 974 post-title screening, and 456 post-abstract screening. Additionally, 1,829 articles retrieved via other methods were screened. Full-text screening identified nine studies that examined the effects of aerobic, resistance, and concurrent exercises on insulin, postprandial glucose, ghrelin, energy intake, and appetite regulation using the visual analog scale (VAS).

Results show that acute exercise significantly lowered insulin and postprandial glucose levels without affecting energy intake or appetite. Chronic exercise reduced insulin levels but had varied effects on other metabolic and appetite markers. Meta-analysis revealed that chronic (SD = -3.99, 95% CI: -6.29 to -1.69, p = 0.0007), aerobic (SD = -3.55, 95% CI: -4.31 to -2.78, p < 0.00001), and resistance exercises (SD = -6.32, 95% CI: -10.34 to -2.30, p = 0.002) significantly lowered insulin levels.

This research indicates that both acute and chronic exercises can beneficially impact metabolic and appetite regulation in MHO adults. However, the high risk of bias and significant heterogeneity among

studies calls for more rigorous research. Future studies should identify optimal exercise interventions for MHO due to observed effect differences. These findings emphasize the need for customized exercise programs to improve metabolic health in MHO adults.

First Advisor

Jorell Victor Angeles

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