Clin Nutr Res.  2015 Jul;4(3):175-181. 10.7762/cnr.2015.4.3.175.

Comparative Study of Serum Leptin and Insulin Resistance Levels Between Korean Postmenopausal Vegetarian and Non-vegetarian Women

• Kim MH
• Bae YJ

• KMID: 2148627
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.7762/cnr.2015.4.3.175

Abstract

The present study was conducted to compare serum leptin and insulin resistance levels between Korean postmenopausal long-term semi-vegetarians and non-vegetarians. Subjects of this study belonged to either a group of postmenopausal vegetarian women (n = 54), who maintained a semi-vegetarian diet for over 20 years or a group of non-vegetarian controls. Anthropometric characteristics, serum leptin, serum glucose, serum insulin, insulin resistance (HOMA-IR; Homeostasis Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance), and nutrient intake were compared between the two groups. The vegetarians showed significantly lower body weight (p < 0.01), body mass index (p < 0.001), percentage (%) of body fat (p < 0.001), and serum levels of leptin (p < 0.05), glucose (p < 0.001), and insulin (p < 0.01), than the non-vegetarians. The HOMA-IR of the vegetarians was significantly lower than that of the non-vegetarians (p < 0.01) after adjustment for the % of body fat. A long-term vegetarian diet might be related to lower insulin resistance independent of the % of body fat in postmenopausal women.

Keyword

Vegetarians; Non-vegetarians; Insulin resistance; Leptin

MeSH Terms

Adipose Tissue
Blood Glucose
Body Mass Index
Body Weight
Diet
Diet, Vegetarian
Female
Glucose
Homeostasis
Humans
Insulin Resistance*
Insulin*
Leptin*
Glucose
Insulin
Leptin

Figure

• 

  Figure 1 Blood lipid parameters of the subjects. Significance as determined by Student's t-test. *p < 0.001; †p < 0.01.

• 

  Figure 2 The levels of serum leptin, insulin, glucose and HOMA-IR of the subjects. Significance as determined by Student's t-test. *p < 0.05 ; †p < 0.01; ‡p < 0.001.

• 

  Figure 3 The levels (estimated mean) of serum leptin, insulin, glucose and HOMA-IR of the subjects adjusting for % body fat. Significance as determined by ANCOVA test. *p < 0.01; †p < 0.05.

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