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Differential associations of leptin with adiposity across early childhood
Caroline E Boeke1, Christos S Mantzoros, Michael D Hughes
1Department of Epidemiology, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. caroline.boeke@mail.harvard.edu
Insights
Maternal and cord leptin levels were linked to lower childhood adiposity. However, higher leptin levels in children at age 3 were associated with increased weight gain and adiposity by age 7.
Area of Science:
- Endocrinology
- Pediatric Nutrition
- Human Growth and Development
Background:
- Leptin, a key hormone in regulating appetite and metabolism, plays a crucial role in early life development.
- Understanding the long-term impact of perinatal and early childhood leptin levels on weight gain and adiposity is essential for public health.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between perinatal (maternal and cord blood) and 3-year-old leptin levels and subsequent weight gain and adiposity up to 7 years of age.
- To determine if early-life leptin concentrations predict later adiposity trajectories.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal study design within Project Viva, analyzing plasma leptin levels from mothers (26-28 weeks gestation), umbilical cord blood, and children at 3 years.
- Assessed adiposity using body mass index (BMI) z-score, waist circumference, skinfold thickness, and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) in children up to 7 years.
- Statistical analyses adjusted for relevant parental and child characteristics to isolate the effects of leptin.
Main Results:
- Higher maternal and cord leptin concentrations were associated with reduced adiposity at 3 years of age.
- Children in the highest quintile of maternal leptin showed a mean 0.5 lower BMI z-score at age 3.
- Conversely, elevated leptin levels at age 3 correlated with increased BMI z-score changes and greater adiposity between ages 3 and 7.
Conclusions:
- Perinatal leptin levels appear to have a protective effect against early childhood adiposity.
- Elevated leptin in early childhood (age 3) may signal a predisposition to future weight gain and increased adiposity.
- These findings highlight the complex, time-dependent role of leptin in human development and obesity risk.
Objective:
To examine associations of perinatal and 3-year leptin with weight gain and adiposity through 7 years.
Design And Methods:
In Project Viva, plasma leptin from mothers at 26-28 weeks' gestation (n = 893), umbilical cord vein at delivery (n = 540), and children at 3 years (n = 510) was assessed in relation to BMI z-score, waist circumference, skinfold thicknesses, and dual X-ray absorptiometry body fat.
Results:
50.1% of children were male and 29.5% non-white. Mean (SD) maternal, cord, and age 3 leptin concentrations were 22.9 (14.2), 8.8 (6.4), and 1.8 (1.7) ng/ml, respectively, and 3- and 7-year BMI z-scores were 0.46 (1.00) and 0.35 (0.97), respectively. After adjusting for parental and child characteristics, higher maternal and cord leptin were associated with less 3-year adiposity. For example, mean 3-year BMI z-score was 0.5 lower (95% CI: -0.7, -0.2; P-trend = 0.003) among children whose mothers' leptin concentrations were in the top versus bottom quintile. In contrast, higher age 3 leptin was associated with greater weight gain and adiposity through age 7 [e.g., change in BMI z-score from 3 to 7 years was 0.2 units (95% CI: -0.0, 0.4; P-trend =0.05)].
Conclusion:
Higher perinatal leptin was associated with lower 3-year adiposity, whereas higher age 3 leptin was associated with greater weight gain and adiposity by 7 years.
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