Leptin and bone mineral density: a cross-sectional study in obese and nonobese men

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Leptin has been suggested to decrease bone mineral density (BMD). This observational analysis explored the relationship between serum leptin and BMD in 327 nonobese men (controls) (body mass index 26.1 +/- 3.7 kg/m(2), age 49.9 +/- 6.0 yr) and 285 juvenile obese men (body mass index 35.9 +/- 5.9 kg/m(2), age 47.5 +/- 5.1 yr). Whole-body dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry scan measured BMD, fat mass, and lean mass. Fasting serum leptin (nanograms per milliliter) was strongly associated with fat mass (kilograms) in both controls (r = 0.876; P <0.01) and juvenile obese (r = 0.838; P <0.001). An inverse relation between BMD adjusted for body weight and serum leptin emerged in both the control group (r = -0.186; P <0.01) and the juvenile obese group (r = -0.135; P <0.05). In a multiple linear regression, fat mass, lean body mass, and occupational physical activity were positively associated with BMD in the control group, whereas in the juvenile obese, only lean body mass was positively associated with BMD and smoking negatively associated with BMD. Our study supports that leptin is inversely associated with BMD and may play a direct role in the bone metabolism in nonobese and obese Danish males, but it also stresses the fact that the strong covariation between the examined variables is a shortcoming of the cross-sectional design.
Original languageEnglish
JournalJournal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism
Volume88
Issue number12
Pages (from-to)5795-5800
Number of pages6
ISSN0021-972X
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2003

    Research areas

  • Adult, Age of Onset, Body Composition, Bone Density, Case-Control Studies, Cohort Studies, Cross-Sectional Studies, Humans, Leptin, Linear Models, Male, Middle Aged, Obesity, Physical Exertion, Smoking

ID: 38457534