LEPTIN - A PARAMETER FOR BODY-FAT MEASUREMENT IN PATIENTS WITH EATINGDISORDERS

Plasma levels of leptin correlate with the body mass index and even mo re with percentage body fat. Determinations of leptin levels might thu s offer an alternative to easily assess fat mass in patients with eati ng disorders. Twenty-five females with the DSM-IV diagnosis of anorexi a,ria nervosa (n = 12, mean BMI 13.8) and bulimia nervosa (n = IS, mea n BMI 21.7), respectively, were examined upon referral for inpatient t reatment. Methods for the measurement of body fat were BMI and plasma leptin level; dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) was used as a ref erence method. Leptin levels showed a highly significant correlation t o body far measured by DXA (r = 0.95, p < 0.001). In the group of anor exia patients the correlation of leptin levels with DXA (r = 0.91, p < 0.001) was significantly higher than with BMI (r = 0.62, p < 0.05). M easurement of leptin levels in AN patients is a promising approach for determining percentage body fat, especially at admission for inpatien t treatment, prior to refeeding. (C) 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and E ating Disorders Association.