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Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study
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Ghrelin, leptin and insulin in healthy children: Relationship with anthropometry, gender, and age distribution

Maria Inês A Wilasco1, Helena A S Goldani, Cristina T L Dornelles

  • 1Experimental Laboratory of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Centro de Pesquisas do Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. ineswilasco@gmail.com

Regulatory Peptides
|September 13, 2011
PubMed

Insights

In healthy children, ghrelin levels inversely correlate with age, while leptin levels positively correlate with anthropometric measures and female gender. Insulin showed no significant correlation with these factors.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Endocrinology
  • Metabolic Research

Background:

  • Hormonal regulation of growth and metabolism in children is complex.
  • Ghrelin and leptin are key hormones involved in appetite and energy balance.
  • Understanding their relationship with anthropometric and demographic factors is crucial for pediatric health.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the associations between total ghrelin, acyl ghrelin, des-acyl ghrelin, leptin, and insulin levels.
  • To examine these relationships in relation to anthropometry, gender, and age in healthy children.

Main Methods:

  • Study included 111 healthy children aged 4 months to 10 years.
  • Anthropometric parameters were measured using World Health Organization standards.
  • Multiple linear regression analysis was employed to determine correlations.

Main Results:

  • Total ghrelin, acyl ghrelin, and des-acyl ghrelin showed significant correlations with age.
  • Leptin levels correlated significantly with age, BMI-for-age, height-for-age, and female gender.
  • No significant correlation was found between insulin and ghrelin or leptin.

Conclusions:

  • Ghrelin levels inversely correlate with age in healthy children.
  • Leptin levels show a direct correlation with anthropometric parameters and female gender.
  • Insulin demonstrated no significant correlation with ghrelin or leptin in this cohort.
Abstract

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