Comparison of Adiponectin and Leptin Levels in Obese Children and Adolescents

Leptin, a protein with a cytokine-like helical structure and molecular weight of 16 KDa, regulates the body weight and homeostasis of the energy in the body. Adiponectin has protective and special metabolic effects as well as anti-inflammatory ones, and the adiponectin level in human blood has an inverse ratio relation with the insulin resistance. The purpose of this study was to compare levels of leptin and adiponectin, and related hormones in the serum of obese children and adolescents. Sixty obese subjects were divided into two groups of 30 children and 30 adolescents. Anthropometric characteristics were recorded and adiponectin and leptin testosterone, growth, insulin, and cortisol hormones were measured in a fasting state in all subjects. The serum levels of leptin (101%), adiponectin (98%) and cortisol hormone (38.62%) were significantly higher in children than in adolescents (p<0/05). When leptin and adiponectin were adjusted to body fat mass, the same results were observed. Serum levels of testosterone (82.58%), insulin (34.47%) and growth hormone (36.36%) were significantly higher in adolescents than in children (p<0/05). The ratio of leptin to adiponectin had no significant difference among children and adolescents. Levels of leptin and adiponectin are higher in children than in adolescents.