Ebesunun MO and Okeke DC
Background: Obesity has become a worldwide concern. Elevated serum leptin has been implicated in obesity in some populations. There is paucity of information on leptin and obesity in Nigeria. This study was designed to evaluate serum leptin, lipids and lipoproteins levels in relationship to anthropometric indices in obese Nigerians.
Methods: Two hundred and seventeen subjects consisting of 154 obese age 44.55 ± 8.81 years and 63 ideal body weight and age matched controls were recruited. The obese group consisted of 120 females and 34 males while the controls were 32 females and 31 males. Anthropometric indices, serum leptin, lipids and lipoproteins were determined using standard procedures.
Results: Results showed significant increases in serum leptin (p<0.001), plasma triglyceride (TG) (p<0.01) and LDLC: HDLC ratio (p<0.05) when compared with the control values. A significant decreased was obtained in plasma HDLC (p<0.01) in the obese siubjects. The obese females had a higher serum leptin than obese males. There were significant increases in the body weight, waist circumference (WC) and hip circumference (HC), BMI and %body fat (%BF) (p<0.001) as well as waist: hip ratio (WHR) (p<0.05) when compared with the control values. Leptin was significantly correlated with WC, HC, BMI, WHR and %BF.
Conclusion: Elevated serum leptin in obese Nigerians with increased plasma TG and decreased HDLC was significantly correlated with anthropometric indices, indications for metabolic syndrome and other chronic diseases.
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