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Leptin concentrations in relation to overall adiposity, fat distribution, and blood pressure in a rural Chinese population

International Journal of Obesity volume 25, pages 121–125 (2001)Cite this article

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: : To examine the associations between leptin levels and body mass index (BMI), fat distribution (reflected by waist to hip ratio and skinfold measurements), and blood pressure in a rural Chinese population.

DESIGN AND SUBJECTS: A cross-sectional study of 294 participants who provided blood samples.

MEASUREMENTS: Plasma concentrations of leptin, BMI, waist to hip ratio, skinfold thickness, and blood pressure.

RESULTS: The average leptin concentration was 5.2 µg/l (3.1 for men and 7.3 for women). In univariate analyses, leptin levels were significantly correlated with BMI (r=0.47), abdominal skinfold thickness (r=0.53), triceps skinfold thickness (r=0.56), waist circumference (r=0.41), hip circumference (r=0.51), waist to hip ratio (r=0.17), and diastolic blood pressure (r=0.13). In multivariate analyses controlling for age, sex, education, current smoking, and alcohol use, independent associations between leptin levels and BMI, waist to hip ratio, waist circumference, and abdominal skinfold thickness remained. However, the significant association between leptin and blood pressure disappeared after adjusting for BMI, whereas the association between BMI and blood pressure persisted after adjusting for leptin level.

CONCLUSIONS: We observed a strong positive relationship between overall adiposity and leptin levels in both men and women in a rural Chinese population. In addition, leptin concentrations were significantly associated with central obesity measured by waist to hip ratio and abdominal skinfold, independent of overall obesity. The observed positive association between leptin and blood pressure was largely explained by BMI.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank Dr Walter Willett for his helpful comments on this paper.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Nutrition, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA

    FB Hu, MJ Stampfer & X Xu

  2. Department of Environmental Health, Program for Population Genetics, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA

    C Chen, B Wang & X Xu

  3. Anhui Meizhong Bio-medicine and Environmental Health Research Institute, Anqing, Anhui, China

    C Chen, B Wang & X Xu

  4. Department of Medicine, Channing Laboratory, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA

    MJ Stampfer & X Xu

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  1. FB Hu
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  2. C Chen
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Correspondence to FB Hu.

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Hu, F., Chen, C., Wang, B. et al. Leptin concentrations in relation to overall adiposity, fat distribution, and blood pressure in a rural Chinese population. Int J Obes 25, 121–125 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ijo.0801480

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