Relationship between body composition and blood leptin concentration in female college students

Sixty women aged between 18 and 21 from the Benemerita y Centenaria Escuela Normal del Estado de San Luis Potosi (BECENE) were evaluated. Body mass index, fat mass percentage, waist-hip ratio and several plasma components were analyzed: glucose, total colesterol, free tryglycerides, HDL, LDL, insulin and leptin. Data was processed by SPSS Statistics 20,0 software using descriptive statistics, binomial logistic regression with a confidence value of 95%. The population showed normal glycemic and blood pressure values, whereas a 29,9% of women were overweight/obese, 3% showed hypercholesterolemia and 29,9% showed insulin resistance (HOMA2 IR over 1.4). The median for blood leptin was 6.49 ng/ml, and 30% of women were hyperleptinemic. A positive and significant correlation was observed between blood leptin values and BMI, % fat mass, blood insulin and HOMA2-IR index. The odds ratio analyzed for BMI, showed that overweight and obesity increase 7,5 times the risk of hyperleptinemia. On the other hand, high levels of fat mass, increase by 6,2 times the risk of hyperleptinemia. So far, the best predictor for hyperleptincma is BMI.