title: Differences in the association between serum leptin levels and body mass index in black and white women: a report from the Southern Community Cohort Study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Leptin may be an important link between obesity and many high-burden diseases, including cancer and cardiovascular disease, but leptin levels and correlates in individuals of diverse racial backgrounds have not been well characterized despite racial differences in incidence and mortality patterns for many obesity-related diseases.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a cross-sectional study of 915 white and 892 black women enrolled in the Southern Community Cohort Study (age 40-79 years, half postmenopausal), serum leptin levels were compared between the race groups and across categories of body mass index (BMI). Potential correlates of leptin were assessed via race-stratified linear regression models.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Blacks had higher unadjusted leptin levels than whites (geometric mean 22.4 vs. 19.0 ng/ml; p < 0.0001). Leptin increased with increasing BMI, and racial differences in leptin were most pronounced in women with BMI ≥25. Significant correlates of leptin included BMI, age, alcohol consumption, cigarette smoking, diabetes (both races) and fat consumption (black women only). Leptin remained higher in black women (22.7 vs. 18.8 ng/ml) after adjustment for these factors.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Persistent racial differences in leptin concentrations exist after adjustment for BMI and other factors. Leptin assessment may be informative in future studies that investigate racial differences in the development of obesity-related diseases.
authors.affiliation: International Epidemiology Institute, Rockville, MD, USA. sarah@ieixmail.com
authors.forename: Sarah S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Cohen
authors.forename: Jay H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Fowke
authors.forename: Qiuyin
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.forename: Maciej S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Buchowski
authors.forename: Lisa B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Signorello
authors.forename: Margaret K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Hargreaves
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: William J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Blot
authors.forename: Charles E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Matthews
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D044383:Black People; D015992:Body Mass Index; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003151:Community Health Centers; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020738:Leptin / Q000097:blood*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood / Q000208:ethnology; D050177:Overweight / Q000097:blood* / Q000208:ethnology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012907:Smoking; D015144:Southeastern United States; D044465:White People; D001741:Black or African American
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D004041:Dietary Fats; D020738:Leptin