Reduced appetite after body contouring is associated with low glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide levels

Abstract

Gut hormone modulation is central to appetite regulation following bariatric surgery, but its relevance among individuals undergoing body contouring procedures, with or without bariatric surgery, remains unclear. In this prospective study of 47 adults planning to undergo abdominoplasty, thigh lifts, or lower body lift, appetite was assessed preoperatively and 6–10 weeks postoperatively using the Council on Nutrition Appetite Questionnaire. Participants scoring ≤25 were classified as having relatively low appetite (RLA). Plasma concentrations of key gut hormones were measured, including glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP), active ghrelin, and others involved in satiety signaling. Multivariable logistic regression identified GIP as the only hormone significantly associated with RLA, with lower GIP levels, mean 51.4 pg/ml, at visit 3 compared to 112.2 pg/ml at baseline (visit 1) predicting suppressed appetite (p=0.035). Active ghrelin and bariatric surgery history showed trends toward higher odds of RLA, though they were not statistically divergent results. The predictive model demonstrated moderate discriminative capacity (AUC=0.695). These findings highlight GIP as a potential hormonal marker of appetite suppression and support its emerging role in gut–brain regulation of feeding behavior. This finding has the potential to inform future pharmacological strategies targeting GIP pathways, including multi-receptor agonist therapies for obesity management.