Korean J Obes.  2005 Sep;14(3):141-148.

Serum Resistin Levels are Associated with Obesity but not with Insulin Resistance in Children and Adolescents

• Kim YK
• Ahn SM
• Jo YE
• Choi YJ
• Song KE
• Jung SH
• Kim HJ
• Chung YS
• Lee KW
• Kim DJ

Abstract

Resistin is a novel adipocyte-derived hormone that has been proposed to link obesity with insulin resistance and diabetes in mice models. However, many studies in humans have failed to reveal link between circulating resistin levels and adiposity or insulin resistance. Therefore, we conducted a cross-sectional study to evaluate whether resistin correlates with obesity and insulin resistance in children and adolescents. Fifty overweight and 88 normal children, aged 7~ yr (mean 11.7 +/- 1.9 yr) were enrolled. Body composition measurements were performed by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry scan, and CT scan at the umbilical level was performed to evaluate the distribution of abdominal fat. Serum glucose, insulin and adipocytokines (resistin, adiponectin, leptin, tumor necrosis factor(TNF)-alpha, interleukin(IL)-6 were measured. Serum resistin levels were significantly higher in overweight than control group (6.02 +/- 2.83 vs 5.0 +/- 2.7 ng/mL, P < 0.05). Serum resistin levels were positively associated with waist to hip ratio (r = 0.228), body mass index (r = 0.255), total fat mass (r = 0.232), trunk fat percent (r = 0.224), abdominal subcutaneous area (r = 0.246), visceral fat area (r = 0.202), serum leptin (r = 0.251) and TNF-alpha (r = 0.270) (P < 0.05, respectively). No associations of serum resistin with serum fasting glucose, insulin levels and HOMA-IR were detected. Using multivariate linear regression models, body weight, adiponectin, sex, visceral fat area, and triglycerides were independently associated with HOMA-IR. Waist circumference and TNF-alpha were independently associated with resistin levels. Serum resistin levels are associated with obesity but not with insulin resistance. Resistin is unlikely to be a major link between obesity and insulin resistance in children and adolescents.

Keyword

Resistin; Obesity; Insulin resistance; Children; Adolescents

MeSH Terms

Abdominal Fat
Absorptiometry, Photon
Adipokines
Adiponectin
Adiposity
Adolescent*
Animals
Blood Glucose
Body Composition
Body Mass Index
Body Weight
Child*
Cross-Sectional Studies
Fasting
Glucose
Humans
Insulin Resistance*
Insulin*
Intra-Abdominal Fat
Leptin
Linear Models
Mice
Necrosis
Obesity*
Overweight
Resistin*
Tomography, X-Ray Computed
Triglycerides
Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
Waist Circumference
Waist-Hip Ratio
Adipokines
Adiponectin
Glucose
Insulin
Leptin
Resistin
Triglycerides
Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha