Endocrine Abstracts

Body composition using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) can be used as an specific method for measuring fat mass and identify individual risk for cardiovascular and metabolic complications in obese children.

Objective: To investigate serum leptin level and its relationship with fat distribution in obese children.

Materials and methods: Eighty-seven children (male/female=43/44, mean age 12.81±0.5 years). obese (BMI>95 percentile for age and sex). DEXA was used to body composition. Serum leptin level was measured using ELISA. Analysis was performed non-parametric (ANOVA, test of Mann–Whitney U) and parametric (t-Student criterion) methods (P<0.05).

Results: BMI in a group of girls 28.3±0.52 kg/m², a group of boys 29.7±0.68 kg/m² (P=0.05). DEXA data (m/f): Gynoid (%) – 51.05±0.93/53.98±0.58 (P>0.05), Android (%) – 46.93±0.68/51.29±0.52 (P=0.05), A/G – 1.09±0.02/1.05±0.01 (P>0.05), total body – 42.5±0.71/46.65±0.54 (P=0.05), fat – 39.55±2.3/34.2±1.4 kg (P=0.01), free fat – 50.5±2.4/41.3±1.5 kg (P=0.05), arms+legs/trunk – 0.99±0.03/0.93±0.03 (P>0.05), legs/total – 0.38±0.01/0.37±0.01 (P>0.05), trunk/total – 0.49±0.01/0.51±0.01 (P>0.01), lean mass – 47.8±2.4/38.8±1.5 kg (P=0.05).

Serum leptin level was positively correlated with body composition indicators: boys group: free fat (r=0.48–0.85, P<0.01), lean mass (r=0.52–0.69, P<0.01), Gynoid (%) (r=0.5–0.74 P<0.01), Android (%) (r=0.65–0.85 P<0.05), girls group: free fat (r=0.69–0.85, P<0.01), lean mass (r=0.4–0.52, P<0.01), Gynoid (%) (r=0.64–0.85 P<0.05), Android (%) (r=0.65–0.78 P<0.01). Correlation between OT/ON to the A/G (m/f – r=0,56/0,6) without gender differences were established.

Conclusion: Gender differences in body composition were revealed in obese children. Serum leptin concentration is significantly correlated with body composition.