Correlation of Sagittal Abdominal Diameter and Other Anthropometric Parameters with Serum Leptin Levels in Young AdultsA Cross-sectional Study

Introduction: Leptin is secreted in concentrations proportional to body fat mass. The anthropometric parameter among Sagittal Abdominal Diameter (SAD), Body Mass Index (BMI), Hip Circumference (HC), Waist Circumference (WC), Waist-Hip Ratio (WHR), and Waist-Height Ratio (WHtR) that correlates maximally with serum leptin levels could be used preferably to assess adiposity.

Aim: The present study aims to correlate serum leptin levels with SAD, BMI, HC, WC, WHR and WHtR in young and healthy North Indian adults.

Materials and Methods: The present cross-sectional study was conducted jointly in the Department of Physiology and Biochemistry at the King George’s Medical University, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India from September 2015 to August 2016 and it included apparently healthy individuals, aged 18-25 years, native to North India, after obtaining an informed consent. A convenient sample size of 100 was taken. One investigator took all anthropometric measurements. (SAD, BMI, HC, WC, WHR and WHtR) RayBio human leptin ELISA kit was used for the estimation of leptin level. For statistical analysis, Pearson’s correlation coefficient was used. P<0.05 was considered significant.

Results: The study involved 55 males and 45 aged 21.4±1.5 years with BMI 22.7±2.7 kg/m2, HC 91.5±6.9 cm, WC 81.9±7.9 cm, WHR 0.9±0.1, WHtR 0.50±0.04, SAD 20.8±3.1 cm and serum leptin level 389.6±102.7 pg. Serum leptin level correlated significantly with HC (r=0.23, p=0.02), WC (r=0.29, p=0.003), WHtR (r=0.36, p<0.001), and SAD (r=0.56, p<0.001). A non significant correlation was obtained with BMI (r=0.15, p=0.12) and WHR (r=0.11, p=0.26).

Conclusion: SAD is a better predictor of body fat and hence, cardiometabolic health than other anthropometric parameters in the present study, as it correlated most strongly with serum leptin levels.