Person:

Mantzoros, Christos

Objective: We examined associations of perinatal and 3-year leptin with weight gain and adiposity through 7 years. Design and Methods In Project Viva, we assessed plasma leptin from mothers at 26–28 weeks’ gestation (n=893), umbilical cord vein at delivery (n=540), and children at 3 years (n=510) in relation to body mass index (BMI) z-score, waist circumference, skinfold thicknesses, and dual X-ray absorptiometry body fat. Results: 50.1% of children were male and 29.5% non-white. Mean(SD) maternal, cord, and age 3 leptin concentrations were 22.9(14.2), 8.8(6.4), and 1.8(1.7) ng/mL, respectively, and 3- and 7-year BMI z-scores were 0.46(1.00) and 0.35(0.97), respectively. After adjusting for parental and child characteristics, higher maternal and cord leptin was associated with less 3- year adiposity. For example, mean 3-year BMI z-score was 0.5 lower (95%CI:−0.7,−0.2; p-trend=0.003) among children whose mothers’ leptin concentrations were in the top vs. bottom quintile. In contrast, higher age 3 leptin was associated with greater weight gain and adiposity through age 7 [e.g., change in BMI z-score from 3 to 7 years was 0.2 units (95%CI:−0.0,0.4; p-trend=0.05)]. Conclusions: Higher perinatal leptin was associated with lower 3-year adiposity, whereas higher age 3 leptin was associated with greater weight gain and adiposity by 7 years.

Leptin is an adipocyte-secreted hormone which plays a key role in energy homeostasis. Recent “proof of concept” studies involving leptin administration to humans support its critical role in regulating energy homeostasis, neuroendocrine and immune function as well as insulin resistance in states of energy/ caloric deprivation. Moreover, interventional studies in leptin deficient children and observational studies in normal girls and boys support a role for leptin as a permissive factor for the initiation of puberty in children. The potential clinical usefulness of leptin in several disease states in children and adolescents, including hypothalamic amenorrhea, eating disorders and syndromes of insulin resistance is still under investigation.