Distribution of plasma levels of adiponectin and leptin in an adult Caucasian population

OBJECTIVES Little is known regarding the distribution and the determinants of leptin and adiponectin levels in the general population. DESIGN Cross sectional study. PATIENTS Women (3004) and men (2552) aged 35 74 living in Lausanne Switzerland. MEASUREMENTS Plasma levels of leptin and adiponectin (ELISA measurement). RESULTS Women had higher leptin and adiponectin levels than men. In both genders leptin and adiponectin levels increased with age. After adjusting for fat mass leptin levels were significantly and negatively associated with age in women: 18.1 +/ 0.3 17.1 +/ 0.3 16.7 +/ 0.3 and 15.5 +/ 0.4 ng/ml (adjusted mean +/ SE) for age groups [35 44] [45 54] [55 64] and [65 75] respectively P < 0.001. A similar but nonsignificant trend was also found in men. Conversely the age related increase of adiponectin was unrelated to body fat in both genders. Post menopausal women had higher leptin and adiponectin levels than premenopausal women independently of hormone replacement therapy. Although body fat mass was associated with leptin and adiponectin the associations were stronger with body mass index (BMI) waist and hip in both genders. Finally after adjusting for age and anthropometry no relationships were found between leptin or adiponectin levels with alcohol caffeine consumption and physical activity whereas smoking and diabetes decreased leptin and adiponectin levels in women only. CONCLUSIONS The age related increase in leptin levels is attributable to changes in fat mass in women and probably also in men. Leptin and adiponectin levels are more related to BMI than to body fat mass. The effects of smoking and diabetes appear to be gender specific.