Body Fat Distribution and Serum Leptin Levels according to Amount of Cigarette Smoking in Korean Middle-aged Men

Lee, Keun Mi

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The effect of smoking on obesity and fat distribution is controversial. We evaluated the difference of fat distribution and obesity according to the amount of smoking, and the influence of leptin level between obesity and the amount of smoking.
METHODS
Subjects were selected among patients who visited the Health Promotion Center of Yeungnam University Hospital for general health evaluation from May to August, 2001. They were aged from thirty to fifty and had no weight change during six months. We excluded the patients who had disease and medication history that can cause weight change. One hundred thirty-five men were included in this study. Smoking status, alcohol and exercise history were reviewed by interview method. Height, weight, waist and hip circumference, %body fat, blood pressure, and blood chemistry were measured. Leptin was measured by a commercial radioimmunoassay (Linco Research, Inc., St., Louis, MO). The differences of obesity parameters and leptin levels according to the amount of smoking were evaluated by analysis of covariance with multiple comparision. All statistical analyses were performed with SPSS 10.0
RESULTS
Body mass index, %body fat, waist circumference and waist to height ratio (W/H ratio) were significantly increased according to the amount of smoking after adjustment for age, alcohol intake and exercise (P<0.05). But, BMI, %BF, WC and W/H ratio in mild and mild-moderate smokers were lower than those of the non-or ex-smoker, paradoxically (P<0.05). Also, serum leptin level was increased according to the increase of amount of smoking, but it had no statistical significance. Over one pack per day smokers had 3.5 times higher risk of hypertension than under one pack per day smokers.
CONCLUSION
In Korean middle-aged men, obesity index showed difference between the amount of smoking status. BMI, %BF, WC and W/H ratio were significantly higher in heavy smokers than mild and mild-moderate smokers. Though it was not statistically significant, leptin was higher in heavy smokers than in mild and mild- moderate smokers.