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Plasma leptin concentrations, basal metabolic rates and respiratory quotients in young and older adults

International Journal of Obesity volume 24, pages 1592–1599 (2000)Cite this article

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To-examine the interrelationship of circulating leptin concentrations, basal metabolic rates (BMR) and respiratory quotients (RQ) in young and older adults.

DESIGN: Cross sectional study.

SUBJECTS: Seventy-six Australian men and women, 48 young (<35 y) and 28 older (≥50 y).

MEASUREMENTS: Fasting plasma leptin concentrations by RIA, BMR and RQ by indirect calorimetry, percentage body fat (BF%), fat mass (FM) and fat-free mass (FFM) from total body water (TBW) based on deuterium dilution, waist and hip circumferences from anthropometry.

RESULTS: Older subjects had significantly higher BF%, FM and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), but significantly lower FFM and absolute BMR as compared to younger subjects. Absolute leptin concentrations were 60% higher in older subjects but did not achieve statistical significance. There was, however, a significant gender×age group interaction in leptin concentrations. This was reflected in a significant inverse relationship between age group and leptin in women when data was controlled for waist circumference (r=−0.38, P=0.028), or FM (r=−0.36, P=0.042). A similar relationship was not observed in men on controlling for BF% or FM. Log transformed plasma leptin was best explained by a model that included BF%, gender, age-group, gender×age-group and WHR r=0.75, adjusted r2=0.56, standard error of estimate (SEE)=0.73 ng/ml). BMR was best explained by FFM, FM and age group r=0.94, adjusted r2=0.87; SEE=429 kJ/day). On controlling for BF%, WHR and FFM, leptin was negatively related to RQ only in older men (r=−0.67, P=0.033). There was no relationship of leptin to BMR in the groups studied.

CONCLUSION: The study demonstrates an age-related modification of the gender bias in leptin, and a gender-specific inverse relationship between leptin and RQ in older people. The decline in leptin and the lack of a relationship between RQ and leptin in older women may indicate an increased risk of weight gain relative to older men.

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Acknowledgements

MJS is the recipient of a Kellogg's Senior Lectureship and thanks Therese Shaw for help with the statistics. LSP was the recipient of a postdoctoral fellowship from Deakin University, Australia, and is currently supported by an NH&MRC Grant 981019. This data was presented at a joint meeting of the Nutrition Society of Australia and the Australasian Clinical Nutrition Society in Adelaide 29 November–2 December 1998.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Nutrition, Dietetics and Food Science, School of Public Health, Curtin University of Technology, GPO Box U 1987, Perth, 6845, WA, Australia

    MJ Soares

  2. Centre for Population Health and Nutrition, Monash University, Monash Medical Centre, 246 Clayton Road, 3168, Victoria, Australia

    LS Piers

  3. Menzies School of Health Research, PO Box 41096, Casuarina, 0811, Northern Territory, Australia

    K O'Dea

  4. School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences, Deakin University, Pigdons Road, Geelong, 3217, Victoria, Australia

    GR Collier

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Correspondence to MJ Soares.

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Soares, M., Piers, L., O'Dea, K. et al. Plasma leptin concentrations, basal metabolic rates and respiratory quotients in young and older adults. Int J Obes 24, 1592–1599 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ijo.0801450

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