Serum kisspeptin levels in normal and overweight Saudi females and its relation with anthropometric indices

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Animal studies suggest that undernutrition and low body weight are associated with low kisspeptin expression and vice versa. This led us to hypothesize that obese and overweight individuals might have significant differences in kisspeptin levels compared with normal-weight individuals. DESIGN AND SETTINGS: A prospective cohort study of 1-year duration involving young Saudi female students in the University of Dammam. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Young Saudi females studying in a Saudi university were divided into 2 groups: normal weight with a body mass index (BMI)=18.5–24.99 and overweight/obese with a BMI ≥25. Serum kisspeptin levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in early follicular, pre-ovulatory, and luteal phases, and anthropometric parameters were recorded. RESULTS: Mean serum kisspeptin levels in the overweight/obese group (follicular phase: 266.88 [45.53], pre-ovulatory phase: 477.12 [21.18], and luteal phase: 735.13 [52.59]) did not differ significantly compared with the normal-weight group (follicular phase: 259.82 [20.50], pre-ovulatory phase: 448.36 [24.58], and luteal phase 708.18 [49.47]) in any of the menstrual phase. In any of the menstrual phase, kisspeptin levels were not found to be correlated with any of the anthropometric variable in any group. CONCLUSION: Serum kisspeptin levels in overweight and obese young females may not differ significantly compared with normal-weight females, and there may not be any correlation between serum kisspeptin and anthropometric indices.