Ghrelin is a peptide secreted mainly by gastric
parietal cells that may play a role in appetite
regulation. It appears to block leptin action. In cross
sectional studies, fasting serum ghrelin level was
inversely correlated, although this was robust
relationship between ghrelin and BMI, and leptin
level was positively correlated with BMI. The aims
of the this study was to determined relationship
between serum ghrelin level and leptin levels,
anthropometric data in Koreans.
135 subjects (42 male, 93 female, BMI; 18.5∼
46.7 kg/m2) were selected from obesity clinic and
Health Promotion Center, Keimyung University
Dongsan Medical Center in Daegu, Korea. Waist and
hip circumference, BMI, abdominal visceral fat
amount and subcutaneoud fat amount by CT were
measured. Serum ghrelin and leptin, respectively,
were measured using a commercial RIA (Phoenix
Pharmaceuticals, Belmont, CA, USA) (IRMA, DSL-
23100, Diagnostic Systems Lab. Inc., Webster, TX,
USA).
In female subjects, subjects with serum ghrelin
level ≥ 600 ng/mL were significant different from
subjects with serum ghrelin level < 600 ng/mL in
BMI, waist and hip circumference, and abdominal
fat amount by CT (P<0.05). Inverse correlations were
observed between serum ghrelin and BMI, waist and
hip circumference, WHR, visceral fat and
subcutaneous fat in female subjects (P<0.01). In male
subjects, serum ghrelin level did not correlated with
anthropometric data. Serum ghrelin levels were
negatively correlated with serum leptin levels in
female subject (r=-0.234, P<0.05). Entering significant
variables into stepwise multiple regression model
reveals that subcutaneous fat amount was
independent predictors of leptin in male and female
subjects (R2 0.569, R2 0.438).
These findings suggest that serum ghrelin levels
were negatively correlated with serum leptin level
and anthropometric data in Korean women.

Keywords: Ghrelin, Leptin, Obesity, Anthropometric data