Nutrient and food intake in relation to serum leptin concentration among young Japanese women.
OBJECTIVE
Little is known about the relation of modifiable dietary factors to circulating leptin concentrations, particularly in young adults and non-Western populations. We examined cross-sectional associations between nutrient and food intake and serum leptin concentration in young Japanese women.


METHODS
Subjects were 424 female Japanese dietetic students 18-22 y of age. Intake of macronutrients (protein, total fat; saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated fatty acids; and carbohydrate), dietary fiber, and 12 food groups was assessed with a validated, self-administered, comprehensive, diet history questionnaire. Fasting blood samples were collected, and serum leptin concentrations were measured by radioimmunoassay.


RESULTS
For nutrients, only dietary fiber was a significant determinant of serum leptin concentration. Increasing dietary fiber intake was associated with lower serum leptin concentration independent of potential confounding factors, including body mass index (mean serum leptin concentrations in the lowest and highest quintiles of dietary fiber intake were 8.6 and 7.5 ng/mL, respectively; P for trend = 0.026). Vegetables and pulses were the only foods significantly associated with serum leptin concentration, with higher intakes independently associated with lower concentrations (mean serum leptin concentrations in the lowest and highest quintiles of intake were 8.1 and 7.0 ng/mL, P for trend = 0.007, for vegetables and 8.8 and 7.6 ng/mL, P for trend = 0.019, for pulses, respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
Intake of dietary fiber, vegetables, and pulses showed an independent inverse association with serum leptin concentration in a group of young Japanese women.
Murakami
Kentaro
K
Nutritional Epidemiology Program, National Institute of Health and Nutrition, Tokyo, Japan.
Sasaki
Satoshi
S
Takahashi
Yoshiko
Y
Uenishi
Kazuhiro
K
Yamasaki
Mitsuyo
M
Hayabuchi
Hitomi
H
Goda
Toshinao
T
Oka
Jun
J
Baba
Keiko
K
Ohki
Kazuko
K
Watanabe
Reiko
R
Sugiyama
Yoshiko
Y
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D044466:Asian People; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004032:Diet; D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004043:Dietary Fiber / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004044:Dietary Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002149:Energy Intake; D007887:Fabaceae; D005215:Fasting / Q000097:blood; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D020738:Leptin / Q000097:blood*; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014675:Vegetables
D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates; D004041:Dietary Fats; D004043:Dietary Fiber; D004044:Dietary Proteins; D020738:Leptin