Iranian Journal of

Background: Leptin is a peptide strongly correlated with adiposity and is a potential determinant of obesity and its complications. The aim of this study was to evaluate the correlation between serum leptin levels and different anthropometric indices among obese women.

Methods: This analytical descriptive study consisted of 106 women with different grade of obesity (BMI ³ 25 kg/m²) and 38 women with normal weight (BMI ≤ 25 kg/m²).serum leptin and glucose levels were measured via enzyme immunoassay and glucose oxidase methods respectively.

Results: The mean (± SE) serum leptin concentrations  in apparently healthy women with normal weight ,overweight, obese grade I, and obese grade II were 6.88 ± 0.56, 39.30 ± 1.73, 46.60 ±1.04, and 48.22± 3.31 ng/ml respectively. There was a dramatic increase in serum Leptin concentration when the BMI was increased. There was statistically significant differences between all groups in serum leptin concentration (P<0.001). There was a direct and significant correlation between serum leptin concentration and BMI in obese subjects (r= 0.736, P< 0.001). There was no significant correlation between leptin with age, and leptin with WHR neither in normal weight group nor in different grades of obesity groups.

 Conclusion: Our findings showed that the serum leptin levels continuously raised with increasing degree of obesity and among different anthropometric indices serum leptin concentration has significant correlation with BMI.