title: Moderate physical activity correlates with elevated leptin in physically active 10-12-year-old boys with normal BMI.
abstract: The aim of this study is to examine the relations between physical activity of differing intensity and duration with body energy-balance hormone leptin in 10-12-year-old boys (N = 94) who participated in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity at least four to five times per week. The boys reported their physical activity using a questionnaire. They had normal body mass index (BMI, kg/ m2), and were at Tanner Stage 2 of development. Boys were divided into three subgroups by leptin levels: normal serum leptin (M +/- .5 SD, n = 44, 1.2-3.9 ng/ml), low leptin (< or = M - .5 SD; n = 31, < 1.2 ng/ml), and high leptin (> or = M + .5 SD; n = 19, > 3.9 ng/ml). There were significant differences between subgroups in anthropometric parameters and serum leptin levels, but not in physical activity. A significant correlation was found between leptin and moderate physical activity of at least five times per week for at least 30 minutes each time in the high leptin group (r = .61). In conclusion, the correlations between physical activity and leptin are weak; only moderate physical activity was correlated with leptin levels in the high leptin
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cicchella
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Stefanelli
authors.forename: Toivo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Jürimäe
authors.forename: Meeli
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Saar
authors.forename: Priit
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Purge
mesh_terms: D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D006801:Humans; D020738:Leptin / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D020738:Leptin