Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Leptin, Body Composition and Bone Mineral Density in Premenopausal Women

  • Clinical Investigations
  • Published:
Calcified Tissue International Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Body weight is known to be associated with bone mass, however, it is unclear whether body composition, as reflected by the percent of total weight that is fat tissue (%fat), is associated with bone mass independently of weight. Fat tissue is metabolically active, and hormonal factors may mediate an association of %fat with bone mass. Leptin, a hormone produced in fat tissue, has recently been shown to be inversely related to bone mass in mice, but whether it is related to human bone mass is uncertain. We sought to investigate the associations of %fat and of serum leptin concentration with bone mineral density (BMD) in a cohort of 153 premenopausal women. BMD measurements of the total hip, lumbar spine and total body as well as body composition were measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Serum leptin levels were established using a commercial competitive binding assay. Individually, body weight, %fat and leptin were each positively associated with BMD at all three sites. However, when we examined BMD either as a function of both body weight and %fat together, or as a function of both body weight and leptin together, we found that for a given body weight, BMD appeared to be inversely associated with %fat and similarly appeared to be inversely associated with leptin. When BMD was examined as a function of %fat and leptin together, we found that for a given %fat, leptin appeared to be inversely associated with BMD. In summary, the results of this study suggest that for a given body weight, a higher proportion of fat and a higher serum leptin concentration have negative associations with bone mass in premenopausal women.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
$34.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or eBook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Figure 1

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. N Pocock J Eisman T Gwinn P Sambrook P Kelly J Freund M Yeates (1989) ArticleTitleMuscle strength, physical fitness, and weight but not age predict femoral neck bone mass. J Bone Miner Res 4 441–448 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:BiaA2cfptFY%3D Occurrence Handle2763880

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. C Glastre P Braillon L David P Cochat PS Meunier PD Delmas (1990) ArticleTitleMeasurement of bone mineral content of the lumbar spine by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry in normal children: correlations with growth parameters. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 70 1330–1333 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:By%2BB2czotlU%3D Occurrence Handle2335574

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. AM Fehily RJ Coles WD Evans PC Elwood (1992) ArticleTitleFactors affecting bone density in young adults. Am J Clin Nutr 56 579–586 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:By2A28jntFM%3D Occurrence Handle1503072

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. ME Ooms P Lips A Van Lingen HA Valkenburg (1993) ArticleTitleDeterminants of bone mineral density and risk factors for osteoporosis in healthy elderly women. J Bone Miner Res 8 669–675 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:ByyA3MfmsV0%3D Occurrence Handle8328308

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. JF Aloia A Vaswani R Ma E Flaster (1995) ArticleTitleTo what extent is bone mass determined by fat-free or fat mass? Am J Clin Nutr 61 1110–1114 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:ByqB2M%2FntVA%3D Occurrence Handle7733036

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. LE Lanyon (1992) ArticleTitleControl of bone architecture by functional load bearing. J Bone Miner Res 7 S369–S375 Occurrence Handle1485545

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. R Lindsay F Cosman BS Herrington S Himmelstein (1992) ArticleTitleBone mass and body composition in normal women. J Bone Miner Res 7 55–63 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:By2C1Mjjs1U%3D Occurrence Handle1549959

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. MF Sowers A Kshirsagar MM Crutchfield S Updike (1992) ArticleTitleJoint influence of fat and lean body composition compartments on femoral bone mineral density in premenopausal women. Am J Epidemiol 136 257–265 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:ByyD3srisVU%3D Occurrence Handle1415147

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. JE Compston M Bhambhani MA Laskey S Murphy KT Khaw (1992) ArticleTitleBody composition and bone mass in post-menopausal women. Clin Endocrinol 37 426–431 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:ByyC3sjkt1M%3D

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. H Takada K Washino H Iwata (1997) ArticleTitleRisk factors for low bone mineral density among females: the effect of lean body mass. Prev Med 26 633–638 Occurrence Handle10.1006/pmed.1997.0170 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:ByiH28fjvVc%3D Occurrence Handle9327470

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. IR Reid R Ames MC Evans S Sharpe G Gamble JT France TM Lim TF Cundy (1992) ArticleTitleDeterminants of total body and regional bone mineral density in normal postmenopausal women — a key role for fat mass. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 75 45–51 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaK38XkvVOgurs%3D Occurrence Handle1619030

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. IR Reid MC Evans RW Ames (1994) ArticleTitleVolumetric bone density of the lumbar spine is related to fat mass but not lean mass in normal postmenopausal women. Osteoporosis Int 4 362–367 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:ByqB3M%2FoslE%3D

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. NH Bell S Epstein A Greene J Shary MJ Oexmann S Shaw (1985) ArticleTitleEvidence for alteration of the vitamin D-endocrine system in obese subjects. J Clin Invest 76 370–373 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaL2MXltVaqtrk%3D Occurrence Handle2991340

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Y Liel E Ulmer J Shary BW Hollis NH Bell (1988) ArticleTitleLow circulating vitamin D in obesity. Calcif Tissue Int 43 199–201 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:BiaD1cbjsFc%3D Occurrence Handle3145124

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. F Tremollieres JM Pouilles C Ribot (1993) ArticleTitleVertebral postmenopausal bone loss is reduced in overweight women: a longitudinal study in 155 early postmenopausal women. J Clin Endocrionol Metab 77 683–686 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:ByyA1c%2FptlM%3D

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. SM Haffner RL Bauer (1992) ArticleTitleExcess androgenicity only partially explains the relationship between obesity and bone density in premenopausal women. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord 16 869–874 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:ByyC2MvosFA%3D Occurrence Handle1337341

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. IR Reid ML Evans GJ Cooper RW Ames J Stapleton (1993) ArticleTitleCirculating insulin levels are related to bone density in normal postmenopausal women. Am J Physiol 265 E655–659 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaK2cXhtVaq Occurrence Handle8238341

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. P Ducy M Amling S Takeda M Priemel AF Schilling FT Beil J Shen C Vinson JM Rueger G Karsenty (2000) ArticleTitleLeptin inhibits bone formation through a hypothalamic relay: a central control of bone mass. Cell 100 197–207 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DC%2BD3cXotFChsw%3D%3D Occurrence Handle10660043

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. A Goulding RW Taylor (1998) ArticleTitlePlasma leptin values in relation to bone mass and density and to dynamic biochemical markers of bone resorption and formation in postmenopausal women. Calcif Tissue Int 63 456–458 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaK1cXnsVOhsbw%3D Occurrence Handle9817937

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. D Kiel T Harris M Visser M Hannan P Wilson (1999) ArticleTitleLeptin and bone mineral density (BMD) in older men and women. J Bone Miner Res 14 SU475

    Google Scholar 

  21. G Martini R Valenti S Giovani B Franci S Campagna R Nuti (2001) ArticleTitleInfluence of insulin-like growth factor-1 and leptin on bone mass in healthy postmenopausal women. Bone 28 113–117

    Google Scholar 

  22. F Rauch WF Blum K Klein B Allolio E Schonau (1998) ArticleTitleDoes leptin have an effect on bone in adult women? Calcif Tissue Int 63 453–455 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaK1cXnsVOhsb8%3D Occurrence Handle9817936

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. V Matkovic JZ Ilich M Skugor NE Badenhop P Goel A Clairmont D Klisovic RHW Nahhas JO Landoll (1997) ArticleTitleLeptin is inversely related to age at menarche in human females. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 82 3239–3245 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaK2sXmslOhsr0%3D Occurrence Handle9329346

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. E Odabasi M Ozata M Turan N Bingol A Yonem B Cakir M Kutlu IC Ozdemir (2000) ArticleTitlePlasma leptin concentrations in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis. Eur J Endocrinol 142 170–173

    Google Scholar 

  25. I Iwamoto T Oouchi A Kosha M Murakami T Fujino Y Nagata (2000) ArticleTitleRelationships between serum leptin level and regional bone mineral density, bone metabolic markers in healthy women. Acta Obstet Gynecol Scandinavica 79 1060–1064 Occurrence Handle10.1034/j.1600-0412.2000.0790121060.x Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:DC%2BD3M%2FnvVKisA%3D%3D

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. L Zacharias WM Rand RJ Wurtman (1976) ArticleTitleA prospective study of sexual development and growth in American girls: the statistics of menarche. Obstet Gynecol Surv 31 325–337 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:CSmC2M%2FlvVY%3D Occurrence Handle1256722

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. L Zacharias WM Rand (1983) ArticleTitleAdolescent growth in height and its relation to menarche in contemporary American girls. Ann Hum Biol 10 209–222 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:BiyB2Mvmt1U%3D Occurrence Handle6870186

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. L Zacharias WM Rand (1986) ArticleTitleAdolescent growth in weight and its relationship to menarche in contemporary American girls. Ann Hum Biol 13 369–386 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:BiiD38vjvF0%3D Occurrence Handle3767310

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. G Block M Woods A Potosky C Clifford (1990) ArticleTitleValidation of a self-administered diet history questionnaire using multiple diet records. J Clin Epidemiol 43 1327–1335 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:By6D2szhsF0%3D Occurrence Handle2254769

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. J Johnson B Dawson-Hughes (1991) ArticleTitlePrecision and stability of dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry measurements. Calcif Tissue Int 49 174–178 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:By2D3svjtlU%3D Occurrence Handle1933582

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. S Khosla EJ Atkinson BL Riggs LJ Melton (1996) ArticleTitleRelationship between body composition and bone mass in women. J Bone Miner Res 11 857–863 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:BymA28zpsFY%3D Occurrence Handle8725184

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Calcium and Metabolic Bone Laboratory, Jean Mayer United States Department of Agriculture, Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University, Boston, Massachusetts 02111, USA

    M. Blum, S. S. Harris & B. Dawson-Hughes

  2. Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, Tufts University, Boston, Massachusetts 02111, USA

    A. Must, E. N. Naumova, S. M. Phillips & W. M. Rand

Authors
  1. M. Blum
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. S. S. Harris
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. A. Must
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. E. N. Naumova
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. S. M. Phillips
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. W. M. Rand
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. B. Dawson-Hughes
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to M. Blum.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Blum, M., Harris, S., Must, A. et al. Leptin, Body Composition and Bone Mineral Density in Premenopausal Women . Calcif Tissue Int 73, 27–32 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00223-002-1019-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00223-002-1019-4

Keywords

Search

Navigation