Distribution of plasma levels of adiponectin and leptin in an adult Caucasian population.
OBJECTIVE
Little is known regarding the distribution and the determinants of leptin and adiponectin levels in the general population.


METHODS
Cross-sectional study.


METHODS
Women (3004) and men (2552) aged 35-74 living in Lausanne, Switzerland.


METHODS
Plasma levels of leptin and adiponectin (ELISA measurement).


RESULTS
Women had higher leptin and adiponectin levels than men. In both genders, leptin and adiponectin levels increased with age. After adjusting for fat mass, leptin levels were significantly and negatively associated with age in women: 18.1 +/- 0.3, 17.1 +/- 0.3, 16.7 +/- 0.3 and 15.5 +/- 0.4 ng/ml (adjusted mean +/- SE) for age groups [35-44], [45-54], [55-64] and [65-75], respectively, P < 0.001. A similar but nonsignificant trend was also found in men. Conversely, the age-related increase of adiponectin was unrelated to body fat in both genders. Post-menopausal women had higher leptin and adiponectin levels than premenopausal women, independently of hormone replacement therapy. Although body fat mass was associated with leptin and adiponectin, the associations were stronger with body mass index (BMI), waist and hip in both genders. Finally, after adjusting for age and anthropometry, no relationships were found between leptin or adiponectin levels with alcohol, caffeine consumption and physical activity, whereas smoking and diabetes decreased leptin and adiponectin levels in women only.


CONCLUSIONS
The age-related increase in leptin levels is attributable to changes in fat mass in women and probably also in men. Leptin and adiponectin levels are more related to BMI than to body fat mass. The effects of smoking and diabetes appear to be gender-specific.
Marques-Vidal
Pedro
P
Centre for Cardiovascular and Metabolic Research (Cardiomet), GlaxoSmithKline, Philadelphia, PA, USA. Pedro-Manuel.Marques-Vidal@chuv.ch
Bochud
Murielle
M
Paccaud
Fred
F
Mooser
Vincent
V
Waeber
Gérard
G
Vollenweider
Peter
P
D052242:Adiponectin / Q000097:blood; D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020738:Leptin / Q000097:blood*; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008593:Menopause / Q000097:blood; D008875:Middle Aged; D011153:Population; D013557:Switzerland; D044465:White People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
C499918:ADIPOQ protein, human; D052242:Adiponectin; D020738:Leptin