Serum leptin concentration in obese patients with binge eating disorder

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.