Diet and WB-EMS Effects in Obesity

Obesity is a major global health problem associated with metabolic dysfunction, altered adipokine signaling, and impaired appetite regulation. Conventional weight loss strategies such as calorie restriction often result in compensatory physiological adaptations, including increased appetite and loss of lean body mass, which may limit long-term effectiveness.

Whole-body electromyostimulation (WB-EMS) is an emerging, time-efficient intervention that induces simultaneous muscle activation and may improve metabolic health. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms, particularly the interaction between myokines and adipokines, remain insufficiently understood.

This randomized controlled trial aims to investigate the effects of an energy-restricted diet combined with WB-EMS on myokine-adipokine interaction, appetite regulation, and body composition in obese individuals. Participants will be randomly assigned to either a diet-only group or a diet plus WB-EMS group for 8 weeks.

Primary outcomes include changes in serum irisin levels. Secondary outcomes include myostatin, leptin, adiponectin, FGF-21, ghrelin, GLP-1, body composition parameters, and eating behavior. The findings of this study are expected to provide novel insights into the physiological and molecular effects of WB-EMS as a complementary strategy in obesity management.