Leptin and adiposity measures from birth to later childhood: Findings from the Hyperglycemia and Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes Follow-Up Study

Background

Cord blood (CB) leptin is positively associated with adiposity at birth, but the association with child adiposity is unclear.

Objectives

We hypothesized that CB leptin is positively associated with adiposity in peripubertal children and with childhood leptin.

Methods

Leptin was measured in 986 CB and 931 childhood stored samples from a prospective birth cohort. Adiposity measures were collected at birth and mean age 11.5 years. Linear and logistic regression analyses were used to evaluate associations between log-transformed CB leptin and neonatal and childhood adiposity measures as continuous and categorical variables, respectively.

Results

CB leptin was positively associated with neonatal and childhood adiposity. Childhood associations were attenuated when adjusted for maternal body mass index (BMI) and glucose, but remained statistically significant for childhood body fat percentage (β = 1.15%, confidence interval [CI] = 0.46–1.84), body fat mass (β = 0.69 kg, 95% CI = 0.16–1.23), sum of skin-folds (β = 1.77 mm, 95% CI = 0.31–3.24), log-transformed child serum leptin (β = 0.13, 95% CI = 0.06–0.20), overweight/obesity (OR = 1.21, 95% CI = 1.03–1.42), obesity (OR = 1.31, 95% CI = 1.04–1.66) and body fat percentage >85th percentile (OR = 1.38, 95% CI = 1.12–1.73). Positive associations between newborn adiposity measures and CB leptin confirmed previous reports.

Conclusion

CB leptin is positively associated with neonatal and childhood adiposity and child leptin levels, independent of maternal BMI and maternal hyperglycemia. CB leptin may be a biomarker of future adiposity risk.