title: Differential associations of leptin with adiposity across early childhood.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine associations of perinatal and 3-year leptin with weight gain and adiposity through 7 years.
  
  
  METHODS
  In Project Viva, plasma leptin from mothers at 26-28 weeks' gestation (n = 893), umbilical cord vein at delivery (n = 540), and children at 3 years (n = 510) was assessed in relation to BMI z-score, waist circumference, skinfold thicknesses, and dual X-ray absorptiometry body fat.
  
  
  RESULTS
  50.1% of children were male and 29.5% non-white. Mean (SD) maternal, cord, and age 3 leptin concentrations were 22.9 (14.2), 8.8 (6.4), and 1.8 (1.7) ng/ml, respectively, and 3- and 7-year BMI z-scores were 0.46 (1.00) and 0.35 (0.97), respectively. After adjusting for parental and child characteristics, higher maternal and cord leptin were associated with less 3-year adiposity. For example, mean 3-year BMI z-score was 0.5 lower (95% CI: -0.7, -0.2; P-trend = 0.003) among children whose mothers' leptin concentrations were in the top versus bottom quintile. In contrast, higher age 3 leptin was associated with greater weight gain and adiposity through age 7 [e.g., change in BMI z-score from 3 to 7 years was 0.2 units (95% CI: -0.0, 0.4; P-trend =0.05)].
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Higher perinatal leptin was associated with lower 3-year adiposity, whereas higher age 3 leptin was associated with greater weight gain and adiposity by 7 years.
authors: Department of Epidemiology, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. caroline.boeke@mail.harvard.edu
authors: Caroline E
authors: CE
authors: Boeke
authors: Christos S
authors: CS
authors: Mantzoros
authors: Michael D
authors: MD
authors: Hughes
authors: Sheryl
authors: S
authors: L Rifas-Shiman
authors: Eduardo
authors: E
authors: Villamor
authors: Chloe A
authors: CA
authors: Zera
authors: Matthew W
authors: MW
authors: Gillman
mesh_terms: D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon; D000273:Adipose Tissue; D050154:Adiposity / Q000502:physiology*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D020738:Leptin / Q000097:blood*; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D009035:Mothers; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D063766:Pediatric Obesity / Q000378:metabolism*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011262:Pregnancy Trimester, Second; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012885:Skinfold Thickness; D055105:Waist Circumference / Q000502:physiology; D015430:Weight Gain
chemical_list: D020738:Leptin