Leptin concentrations in the United States: relations with demographic and anthropometric measures.
BACKGROUND
Leptin is a peptide that is strongly correlated with adiposity and is a potential determinant of obesity and its complications.


OBJECTIVE
Leptin concentrations from a representative sample of the US population were examined in relation to demographic and anthropometric measures.


METHODS
Fasting serum leptin concentrations were measured in 6303 women and men aged > or =20 y in the third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Anthropometric measures included body mass index, 4 skinfold thicknesses, and 4 body circumferences. Ethnic groups included non-Hispanic whites and blacks and Mexican Americans.


RESULTS
The mean serum leptin concentration was much higher in women (12.7 microg/L) than in men (4.6 microg/L). In a multivariate analysis, leptin concentrations were associated with the sum of 4 skinfold thicknesses, waist and hip circumferences, ethnicity, and age. These measures explained most of the variance in leptin concentrations in women (R2 = 0.69) and in men (R2 = 0.67). Triceps skinfold thickness, when substituted for the sum of skinfold thicknesses, performed nearly as well in women (R2 = 0.68) and men (R2 = 0.67). Leptin concentrations were slightly but significantly higher in non-Hispanic blacks than in non-Hispanic whites of both sexes when these anthropometric measures and age were controlled for; Mexican Americans had concentrations that were intermediate compared with the concentrations of non-Hispanic whites and blacks.


CONCLUSIONS
In this large, representative sample of the US population, demographic and anthropometric measures predicted serum leptin concentrations in women and men.
Ruhl
C E
CE
Social and Scientific Systems, Inc, Bethesda, MD 20814-4805, USA. CER@s-3.com
Everhart
J E
JE
D000273:Adipose Tissue; D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American; D000367:Age Factors; D001824:Body Constitution / Q000208:ethnology*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020738:Leptin / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D017058:Mexican Americans; D008800:Mexico / Q000208:ethnology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012737:Sex Factors; D012885:Skinfold Thickness; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D044465:White People
D020738:Leptin