title: Insulin resistance, physical fitness, body composition and leptin concentration in 7-8 year-old children.
abstract: The aim of this study was to investigate the association between insulin resistance and physical fitness, leptin concentration, body composition and family history for diabetes in non-selected young children. Physical fitness, fasting plasma glucose, insulin and leptin concentrations, anthropometric characteristics and medical history were available in two hundred and fifty-seven 7-year-old Dutch children. Correlations with the homeostasis model assessment (HOMA) index for insulin resistance were studied. A multiple regression model was calculated for HOMA. The differences between children with or without a family history for diabetes were not significant. Boys scored higher on glucose concentration and aerobic fitness and lower on sum of skin folds and leptin concentration (p<.05). After adjustment for sum of skin folds, HOMA was significantly associated with leptin in both genders (boys r=.184 p=.031; girls r=.430 p=.000). The association between physical fitness and HOMA was mediated by sum of skin folds. The associations were stronger in girls than in boys. In the regression model (R(2)=.205) the leptin concentration was the only significant predictor for HOMA. The influence of family history for diabetes on insulin resistance is shown as a trend at this age. Our findings suggest that plasma leptin concentration is independently associated with the development of insulin resistance in a non-selected prepubertal population. The association of physical fitness with insulin resistance seems to be mediated by the sum of skin folds.
authors.affiliation: Department of Movement Sciences, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands. jantine.slinger@bw.unimass.nl
authors.forename: Jantine D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Slinger
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: van Breda
authors.forename: Hans
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Keizer
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rump
authors.forename: Gerard
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hornstra
authors.forename: Harm
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kuipers
mesh_terms: D050154:Adiposity / Q000502:physiology*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005080:Exercise Test; D017079:Exercise Tolerance / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007333:Insulin Resistance / Q000502:physiology*; D020738:Leptin / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D010809:Physical Fitness / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D020738:Leptin