Comparison of Serum Insulin, Leptin, Adiponectin and High Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein Levels according to Body Mass Index and their Associations in Adult Women

Article information

Korean J Community Nutr. 2011;16(1):126-135

Publication date (electronic) : 2011 February 28

doi : https://doi.org/10.5720/kjcn.2011.16.1.126

Department of Food and Nutrition, College of Natural Sciences, Seoul Women's University, Seoul, Korea.

Corresponding author: Jung Hee Kim, Department of Food and Nutrition, College of Natural Sciences, Seoul Women's University, 623 Hwarangno, Nowon-gu, Seoul 139-774, Korea. Tel: (02) 970-5646, Fax: (02) 976-4049, jheekim@swu.ac.kr

Received 2011 January 17; Revised 2011 February 08; Accepted 2011 February 08.

Abstract

Obesity is characterized by increased storage of fatty acids in an adipose tissue and closely associated with the development of insulin resistance and cardiovascular diseases (CVD) through secretion of adipokines. This study was done to compare serum insulin, leptin, adiponectin and high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) levels according to body masss index (BMI) in Korean adult women aged 19 to 50. In addition, we examined the association of BMI, serum lipids and Homa-IR with serum adiponectin, leptin and hs-CRP levels. The subjects were divided into 3 groups by their BMI, normal weight (BMI ≤ 22.9, n = 30), overweight (23.0 ≤ BMI ≤ 24.9, n = 71) and obese group (25.0 ≤ BMI, n = 59). Serum levels of total-cholesterol, TG, and LDL-cholesterol were significantly higher in obese group than in normal weight group. LDL/HDL ratio and AI were significantly higher in obese group than in normal or overweight group. Fasting serum levels of glucose and insulin and Homa-IR as a marker of insulin resistance were significantly higher in obese group than in overweight group. Serum leptin level was significantly higher in obese group while serum adiponectin level was significantly lower in obese group compared to other two groups. hs-CRP was significantly increased in obese group. Correlation data show that serum adiponectin level was positively correlated with serum HDL-cholesterol level and was negatively correlated with BMI, WC, TG, LDL-cholesterol, Homa-IR, hs-CRP and leptin. In addition, serum leptin level was positively correlated with BMI, WC, glucose, insulin, Homa-IR and hs-CRP. These results might imply that the regulation of key adipokines such as adiponectin might be a strategy for the prevention or treatment of obesity-associated diseases such as diabetes and CVD.

Keywords: adiponectin; leptin; hs-CRP; Homa-IR; BMI

Notes

This study was supported by a grant of the Institute of Natural Sciences at Seoul Women's University in 2009.

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Article information Continued

Table 1

Comparison of anthropometric characteristics and blood pressure in the subjects according to BMI

1) Mean ± SE, NS: not significantly different among groups

2) Waist circumference

a,b,c: means with different superscript letter among groups are significantly different at p < 0.05 by Duncan's multiple range test.

Table 2

Comparison of serum lipid profiles and hs-CRP level in the subjects according to BMI

1) Mean ± SE

2) LDL-cholesterol : Total cholesterol - (VLDL-cholesterol + HDL-cholesterol), VLDL-cholesterol: TG / 5 by Friedwald equation

3) Atherogenic index : (Total cholesterol - HDL-cholesterol) / HDL-cholesterol

4) hs-CRP: High sensitivity C-reactive protein

a,b,c: Means with different superscript letter among groups are significantly different at p < 0.05 by Duncan's multiple range test

Table 3

Comparison of glucose, insulin, and Homa-IR in the subjects according to BMI

1) Mean ± SE

2) Homa-IR : Fasting insulin (µU/dL) × fating glucose (mmol/l) / 22.5

a,b,ab: Means with different superscript letter among groups are significantly different at p < 0.05 by Duncan's multiple range test

Table 4

Comparison of adiponectin and leptin in the subjects according to BMI

1) Mean ± SE

a,b: Means with different superscript letter among groups are significantly different at p < 0.05 by Duncan's multiple range test

Table 5

Pearson's correlation coefficients among anthropometric measurement, serum lipids, Homa-IR, adipokines and hs-CRP

^*,^**: significantly correlated between measures at p < 0.05 and p < 0.01 by Pearson's correlation coefficient

1) Homa-IR : fasting insulin (µU/dL) × fating glucose (mmol/l) / 22.5

Table 6

Pearson's correlation coefficient among leptin, adiponectin, hs-CRP and Homa-IR

^*,^**: significantly correlated between measures at p < 0.05 and p < 0.01 by Pearson's correlation coefficient

1) Homa-IR : fasting insulin (µU/dL) × fating glucose (mmol/l) / 22.5