Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship among serum leptin, nutritional status, and the obesity indices of 55 obese children in Daegu and Kyungpook area. Obesity was defined as fat percentage that exceed 25% of body fat mass. Energy and nutritional status were tended to be low, and dietary intake of calcium and iron were less than any other nutrients in all the subjects. Especially, beverage intake of obese group was more than non-obese group. The leptin level were significantly correlated with %RDA of energy (0.41, p < 0.001), protein (0.44, p < 0.001), phosphate (0.40, p < 0.001), iron (0.37, p < 0.001), vitamin A (0.31, p < 0.01), thiamin (0.40, p < 0.001), riboflavin (0.26, p < 0.05), niacin (0.51, p < 0.001), and vitamin C (0.24, p < 0.05). The leptin level were significantly correlated with MAR (mean adequacy ratio, r = 0.43, p < 0.001) and INQ (index of nutrient quality) of thiamin (r = 0.22, p < 0.05). Multiple regression analysis showed that %RDA of niacin in obese group (R2 = 0.208, p = 0.001) and total subjects (R2 = 0.257, p = 0.000), MAR (p = 0.003) and INQ (p = 0.048) of niacin in obese group (R2 = 0.255) and MAR (p = 0.000) and INQ of Ca (p = 0.024) in total subjects (R2 = 0.231) may be important independent predictors to leptin level. MAR showed a significantly positive correlation with %fat (r = 0.42, p < 0.01), BMI (r = 0.46, p < 0.01), RW (r = 0.44, p < 0.01), WHR (r = 0.39, p < 0.01) and, %RDA (p < 0.05, p < 0.01). These data indicated relationships among leptin level, nutrient intake, %RDA, MAR, and INQ in children.

• Keywords: leptin; %RDA; MAR; INQ