STUDY OF CHANGES IN SERUM LEPTIN LEVEL IN WOMEN WITH DIFFERENT GRADES OF OBESITY

Leptin is a peptide strongly correlated with adiposity and is a potential determinant of obesity and its complications. The aim of this study was to evaluate the correlation between serum leptin levels and different anthropometric indices among obese women. This analytical descriptive study consisted of 106 women with different grade of obesity (BMI ³ 25 kg/m2) and 38 women with normal weight (BMI ≤ 25 kg/m2).serum leptin and glucose levels were measured via enzyme immunoassay and glucose oxidase methods respectively. The mean (± SE) serum leptin concentrations in apparently healthy women with normal weight, overweight, obese grade I, and obese grade II were 6.88 ± 0.56, 39.30 ± 1.73, 46.60 ±1.04, and 48.22± 3.31 ng/ml respectively. There was a dramatic increase in serum Leptin concentration when the BMI was increased. There was statistically significant differences between all groups in serum leptin concentration (P<0.001). There was a direct and significant correlation between serum leptin concentration and BMI in obese subjects (r= 0.736, P< 0.001). There was no significant correlation between leptin with age, and leptin with WHR neither in normal weight group nor in different grades of obesity groups. Our findings showed that the serum leptin levels continuously raised with increasing degree of obesity and among different anthropometric indices serum leptin concentration has significant correlation with BMI.