Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Paper
  • Published:

Serum leptin concentration in obese patients with binge eating disorder

International Journal of Obesity volume 26, pages 1125–1128 (2002)Cite this article

Abstract

BACKGROUND: In steady-state conditions serum leptin concentration is directly related to body fat stores, but is also affected by changes in energy balance. This cross-sectional study investigated the serum leptin concentrations of severely obese patients with binge eating disorder (BED), in whom body fat was greater than normal and, because of eating pattern, rapid and repeated changes in energy balances took place.

METHODS: A group of BED obese patients was compared to a group of obese patients with a regular eating pattern with the same body weight, body composition and resting energy expenditure. Serum leptin was measured and the eating attitudes were evaluated by Eating Inventory and Eating Disorder Inventory.

RESULTS: In these patients serum leptin concentrations were only weakly correlated to body mass. Furthermore, in BED obese patients serum leptin concentration was higher than in their non bingeing counterparts.

CONCLUSIONS: In obese patients both body fat size and eating behavior influence serum leptin concentration, but BED patients binge eating is not triggered by a low leptin value.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on SpringerLink
  • Instant access to the full article PDF.

USD 39.95

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Wang Q, Bing C, Al-Barazanij K, Mossakowaska DE, Wang XM, McBay DL, Neville WA, Taddayon M, Pickavance L, Dryden S, Thomas MEA, McHale MT, Gloyer IS, Wilson S, Buckingham R, Arch JRS, Trayhurn P, Williams G . Interactions between leptin and hypothalamic neuropeptide Y neurons in the control of food intake and energy homeostasis in the rat Diabetes 1997 46: 335–341.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Jenkins AB, Markovic TP, Fleury A, Campbell LV . Carbohydrate intake and short-term regulation of leptin in humans Diabetologia 1996 40: 348–351.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Kolaczynsky JW, Considine RV, Ohannesian J, Marco C, Opentanova I, Nyce MR, Myint M, Caro JF . Responses of leptin to short-term fasting and refeeding in humans Diabetes 1996 45: 1511–1515.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Weigle DS, Duell PB, Connor WE, Steiner RA, Soules MR, Kuijper JL . Effect of fasting refeeding and dietary fat restriction on plasma leptin levels J Clin Endocrinol Metab 1997 82: 561–565.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Hebebrand J, Blum WF, Barth N, Coners H, Englaro P, Juul A, Ziegler A, Warnke A, Rascher W, Remschmidt H . Leptin levels in patients with anorexia nervosa are reduced in the acute stage and elevated upon short-term weight restoration Mol Psych 1997 2: 330–334.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Kopp W, Blum WF, Ziegler A, Mathiak K, Lubbert H, Herpertz S, Deter HC, Hebebrand J . Serum leptin and body weight in females with anorexia and bulimia nervosa Horm Metab Res 1998 30: 272–275.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Mathiak K, Gowin W, Hebebrand J, Ziegler A, Blum WF, Felsenberg D, Lubbert H, Kopp W . Serum leptin levels body fat deposition and weight in females with anorexia or bulimia nervosa Horm Metab Res 1999 31: 274–277.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Monteleone P, Di Lieto A, Tortorella A, Longobardi N, Maj M . Circulating leptin in patients with anorexia nervosa bulimia nervosa or binge eating disorder: relationship to body weight eating pattern psychopathology and endocrine changes Psych Res 2000 94: 121–129.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Nakai Y, Hanagaki S, Kato S, Seino Y, Takagi R, Kurimoto F . Role of leptin in women with eating disorders Int J Eat Disord 1999 26: 29–35.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Karhunen L, Haffner S, Lappalainen R, Turpeinen A, Miettinen H, Uusitupa M . Serum leptin and short term regulation of eating in obese women Clin Sci 1997 92: 573–578.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. d'Amore A, Massignan C, Montera P, Moles A, De Lorenzo A, Scucchi S . Relationship between dietary restraint, binge eating, and leptin in obese women Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord 2001 25: 373–377.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Spitzer RL, Yanovski SZ, Wadden TA, Wing RR, Marcus MD, Stunkard AJ, Devlin M, Mitchell JE, Hasin D, Horne RL . Binge eating disorder: its further validation in a multisite study Int J Eat Disorder 1993 13: 137–153.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Lukaski HC, Johnson PE, Bolonchuck WW, Lykken GI . Assessment of fat-free mass using bioelectrical impedance measurements of the human body Am J Clin Nutr 1985 41: 810–817.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Jequier E, Acheson K, Schultz Y . Assessment of energy expenditure in man A Rev Nutr 1987 7: 187–208.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Maffei M, Halaas J, Ravussin E, Pratley RE, Lee GH, Zhang Y, Fei H, Kim S, Lallone R, Ranganathan S, Kern PA, Friedman JM . Leptin levels in human and rodent: measures of plasma leptin and ob RNA in obese and weight reduced subjects Nat Med 1966 11: 1155–1161.

    Google Scholar 

  16. Rodin J, Radke-Sharpe N, Rebuffe-Scrive M, Greenwood MRC . Weight cycling and fat distribution Int J Obes 1990 14: 303–310.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Stunkard AJ, Messik S . The three-factor eating questionnaire to measure dietary restraint disinhibition and hunger J Psychosom Res 1985 29: 71–83.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Garner MG, Olmsted P, Polivy J . Development and validation of a multidimensional eating disorder inventory for anorexia nervosa and bulimia Int J Eat Disord 1983 2: 15–34.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Caro JF, Sinha MK, Kolaczynski JW, Zhang PL, Considine RV . Perspectives in diabetes leptin: the tale of an obesity gene Diabetes 1996 45: 1455–1462.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Considine RV, Sinha MK, Heiman ML, Kriauciunas A, Stephens TW, Nyce MR, Ohannesian JP, Marco CC, McKee LJ, Bauer TL, Caro JF . Serum immunoreactive-leptin concentrations in normal-weight obese humans New Engl J Med 1996 334: 292–295.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Adami GF, Cordera R, Campostano A, Bressani A, Cella F, Scopinaro N . Serum leptin and weight loss in severely obese patients undergoing biliopancreatic diversion Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord 1998 22: 822–824.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. DeZwann M, Nutzinger DO, Schoenbeck G . Binge eating in overweight women Compreh Psych 1992 4: 256–261.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Brody ML, Walsh BT, Devlin MJ . Binge eating disorder: reliability and validity of a new diagnostic category J Consul Clin Psychol 1994 62: 381–386.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Westenhoefer J, Stunkard AJ, Pudel V . Validation of the flexible and rigid control dimension of dietary restraint Int J Eat Disord 1999 26: 53–64.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Adami GF, Gandolfo P, Campostano A, Cocchi F, Bauer B, Scopinaro N . Obese binge eaters: metabolic characteristics, energy expenditure and dieting Psychol Med 1995 25: 195–198.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Taylor AE, Hubbard J, Anderson EJ . Impact of binge eating on metabolic and leptin dynamics in normal young women J Clin Endocrinol Metab 1999 84: 428–434.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Von Prittwitz S, Blum WF, Ziegler A, Scharmann S, Remschnidt H, Hebebrand J . Restrained eating is associated with low leptin levels in underweight females Mol Psych 1997 2: 420–422.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Laessle RG, Wurmser H, Pirke KM . Restrained eating and leptin levels in overweight preadolescent girls Physiol Behav 2000 70: 45–47.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Owen WP, Kalmi KA, Gibbs J, Smith JP . Satiety responses in eating disorders J Psych Res 1985 19: 279–284.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dipartimento di Discipline Chirurgiche e Metodologie Integrate, Università di Genova, Genova, Italy

    GF Adami & N Scopinaro

  2. Divisione Medicina I, Azienda Ospedaliera San Martino, Genova, Italy

    A Campostano

  3. Dipartimento di Scienze Endocrino-Metaboliche, Università di Genova, Genova, Italy

    F Cella

Authors
  1. GF Adami
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  2. A Campostano
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  3. F Cella
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  4. N Scopinaro
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to GF Adami.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Adami, G., Campostano, A., Cella, F. et al. Serum leptin concentration in obese patients with binge eating disorder. Int J Obes 26, 1125–1128 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ijo.0802010

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ijo.0802010

Keywords

This article is cited by

Search

Advanced search

Quick links