Leptin and adiponectin levels in pubertal children: relationship with anthropometric variables and body composition.
BACKGROUND
Adipocytokines play an important role in controlling energy homeostasis, and in various metabolic processes related to obesity. The aim of this study was to describe serum leptin and adiponectin concentrations in a sample of pubertal Spanish children and to evaluate their association with anthropometric parameters and body composition.


METHODS
The study included 833 pubertal boys and girls. Serum leptin and adiponectin concentrations were determined by ELISA.


RESULTS
Leptin concentrations were significantly higher (p<0.0001) in obese or overweight (OW) children compared with children with normal weight (NW). Adiponectin was significantly lower (p<0.01) in obese or OW girls compared with girls of NW, although these findings were not the same for boys. Weight, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), hip circumference (HC), and waist to hip ratio were significantly correlated (p<0.01) with leptin concentrations in both genders. Correlation of leptin with fat mass and % fat mass was strong, particularly in boys. The association of adiponectin concentrations with anthropometric variables was weaker in both genders. No significant correlations were found between adiponectin concentrations and fat mass or % fat mass.


CONCLUSIONS
In summary, our study showed that, in pubertal children, leptin is related to weight, BMI, WC and HC and correlates even more strongly with % fat mass. However, adiponectin was weakly related to anthropometric variables and was not correlated with body fat.
Schoppen
Stefanie
S
Lipid Research Laboratory, Fundación Jiménez Díaz, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain.
Riestra
Pía
P
García-Anguita
Alicia
A
López-Simón
Laura
L
Cano
Beatriz
B
de Oya
Iria
I
de Oya
Manuel
M
Garcés
Carmen
C
D052242:Adiponectin / Q000097:blood*; D000293:Adolescent; D001823:Body Composition; D050218:Body Fat Distribution; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020738:Leptin / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology; D049629:Waist-Hip Ratio
D052242:Adiponectin; D020738:Leptin