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Serum leptin in disabled and non-disabled children in an Indian slum population
A C Freeman1, A K Yousafzai, S M Filteau
1Centre for International Child Health, Institute of Child Health, London, UK.
Insights
Serum leptin levels were very low in malnourished Indian children, with no overall difference between disabled and non-disabled groups. However, girls and children with neurological disabilities showed higher leptin concentrations.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Endocrinology
- Nutritional Science
- Public Health
Background:
- Malnutrition is prevalent in children with disabilities in Indian slum populations.
- Leptin, a key metabolic hormone, plays a role in energy balance and immune function.
- Understanding leptin levels in vulnerable pediatric populations is crucial for assessing nutritional status and health outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine serum leptin concentrations in malnourished children.
- To compare leptin levels between disabled and non-disabled children within this cohort.
- To explore correlations between leptin, anthropometric measurements, and biochemical markers.
Main Methods:
- A case-control study was conducted with 81 children (41 disabled, 40 non-disabled) from an Indian slum.
- Serum leptin levels were measured and compared with anthropometric data (e.g., WAZ, HAZ, BMI, MUAC) and serum acute phase proteins.
- Statistical analyses were performed to identify significant differences and correlations.
Main Results:
- Children exhibited severe malnutrition, indicated by low Z-scores for weight-for-age, height-for-age, and weight-for-height.
- Serum leptin levels were notably low in both disabled (1.44 ng/ml) and non-disabled (1.19 ng/ml) children.
- While no overall difference was found between disabled and non-disabled groups, children with neurological disabilities and girls had significantly higher leptin levels.
Conclusions:
- In this population with high rates of malnutrition, serum leptin is significantly low.
- Leptin levels did not correlate with anthropometric indicators of nutritional status.
- Sex and neurological status are factors influencing leptin concentrations in malnourished children.
Objective:
To assess the concentration of serum leptin in a population of malnourished children and to compare the leptin levels of disabled and non-disabled children in this population.
Design:
Case-control study.
Subjects:
Eighty-one children, comprising 41 children with mixed disabilities and 40 non-disabled controls, were selected from 425 children involved in a case-control study assessing the nutritional status of children with disabilities in an Indian slum population.
Methods:
Leptin was measured in the serum samples and was compared with anthropometry (weight-for-age Z-scores (WAZ), height-for-age Z-scores (HAZ), weight-for-height Z-scores (WHZ), body mass index (BMI), mid-upper-arm circumference (MUAC), sub-scapular skinfold thickness and triceps skinfold thickness) and serum acute phase proteins.
Results:
The children were very malnourished with WAZ=-2.07 (s.d. 1.15), HAZ=-2.15 (s.d. 1.85) and WHZ=-1.07 (s.d. 0.83). Leptin was extremely low in both the disabled (1.44 ng/ml; 95% confidence interval, CI, 1.23-1.69) and the non-disabled (1.19 ng/ml; 95% CI 1.04-1.35) children. There were no differences between the disabled and non-disabled groups as a whole but 15 children with neurological disabilities had significantly higher (P<0.05) serum leptin (1.65 ng/ml; 95% CI 1.29-2.06) than the non-disabled children. Girls (1.55 ng/ml; 95% CI 1.29-1.87) had significantly higher concentrations of leptin than boys (1.11 ng/ml; 95% CI 1.02-1.22; P=0.002). Leptin did not correlate with any biochemical or anthropometric measures.
Conclusions:
In this population, where malnutrition was common, serum leptin levels were very low and did not correlate with anthropometry.
Sponsorship:
UK Department for International Development; Virgin Airways through the Great Ormond Street Hospital Trustees.
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