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Updated: Mar 8, 2026
Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study
Published on: February 2, 2017
Comparison of body composition and adipokine levels between thin and normal-weight prepubertal children
Jadwiga Ambroszkiewicz1, Joanna Gajewska1, Katarzyna Szamotulska2
1Institute of Mother and Child, Screening Department, Warsaw, Poland.
Insights
Thin children exhibit altered body composition and adipokine profiles, with lower leptin levels. Early assessment of body composition and adipokines is crucial for optimizing bone health in thin children.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Endocrinology
- Nutritional Science
- Body Composition Analysis
Background:
- Childhood thinness presents significant risks to development and health.
- Adipokines like leptin and adiponectin are key regulators of metabolic functions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between body composition and serum adipokine levels in thin versus normal-weight children.
- To identify potential metabolic and nutritional markers associated with childhood thinness.
Main Methods:
- Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) for body composition assessment.
- Immunoenzymatic assays for serum adipokine (leptin, adiponectin) quantification.
- Comparison of 50 thin and 50 normal-weight prepubertal children.
Main Results:
- Thin children showed significantly lower body weight, BMI, fat mass, lean mass, and bone mineral content.
- Serum leptin levels were approximately 2-fold lower in thin children; adiponectin levels were similar.
- Leptin-to-adiponectin and leptin-to-soluble leptin receptor ratios were significantly lower in thin children.
Conclusions:
- Prepubertal thin children display distinct body composition and adipokine profiles.
- Early identification of thinness and assessment of body composition and adipokines can aid in medical and nutritional management.
- Optimizing bone mineral accrual in thin children may benefit from early intervention based on these parameters.
Objective:
Thinness can have substantial consequences for child development and health. Adipokines, including leptin and adiponectin, play a significant role in the regulation of important metabolic functions. The aim of this study was to investigate associations between body composition and serum leptin and adiponectin levels in thin and normal-weight children.
Methods:
The authors examined 100 healthy prepubertal children, who were divided into two subgroups: thin (n=50) and normal-weight children (n=50). Body composition was assessed by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Serum concentrations of adipokines were determined by immunoenzymatic assays.
Results:
Thin children had a similar body height but significantly lower (p<0.0001) body weight, body mass index, fat mass, lean mass, and bone mineral content compared with normal-weight children. Serum concentrations of leptin were about 2-fold lower (p<0.0001) in thin vs. normal-weight subjects. Serum levels of total adiponectin, adiponectin multimers, and soluble leptin receptor (sOB-R) were similar in both groups. The leptin/soluble leptin receptor ratio and leptin/adiponectin ratios were lower (p<0.0001) in thin vs. normal-weight children. In both groups of children, it was found that body composition parameters were positively related with leptin but not with adiponectin levels. Additionally, bone mineral content was positively related with body mass index, fat mass, lean mass, and leptin level in thin and normal-weight children.
Conclusions:
Prepubertal thin children have disturbances in body composition and adipokine profile. Early recognition of thinness and determination of body composition parameters and adipokine levels can be useful in medical and nutritional care of thin children for the optimization of bone mineral accrual.
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