SERUM LEPTIN AND WEIGHT-LOSS IN SEVERELY OBESE PATIENTS UNDERGOING BILIOPANCREATIC DIVERSION

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the influence of body fat and food intake on se rum leptin concentration. DESIGN: Longitudinal study of a group of obe se patients prior to and at, long term follow-up, after biliopancreati c diversion (BPD), when body weight was steadily reduced and food cons umption was similar to or greater than preoperatively. RESULTS: In obe se patients, very high serum leptin concentrations were found. Followi ng the operation, with the body weight stable and normalized, a sharp fall of serum leptin concentration had occurred, with values returned to normal range. CONCLUSION: The changes in serum leptin concentration observed in the long term after weight loss are substantially account ed for by the loss of body fat and appear unrelated to the reduction o f oral food intake.