Role of leptin in women with eating disorders

Objective: This study investigated the role of leptin on eating behavior an d reproductive function in eating disorders. Method: The subjects included 80 eating-disordered women, having different fat mass, eating behavior, and endocrine abnormalities, and 26 control women. Plasma leptin, insulin, lut einizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), cortisol, insuli n growth factor-1 (lGF-1), free T-4 levels, percent body fat eating behavio r score, and menstrual status score were evaluated for each subject. Result s: In eating-disordered patients, log of leptin levels were significantly c orrelated with body fat mass, eating behavior score, menstrual status score , and insulin, LH, and FSH levels. Stepwise regression analysis showed that fat mass and eating behavior score were significant determinants of leptin levels. Furthermore, in patients undergoing recovery, leptin levels were d etermined by fat mass and/or eating behavior. Discussion: These results sug gest that leptin may play some role in counteracting the abnormal eating be havior, reproductive function, and fat mass in these disorders. (C) 1999 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.