The relation of serum nesfatin-1 level with anthropometric and metabolic parameters in children and adolescents: A prospective observational study

Nesfatin-1, a recently discovered anorexigenic neuropeptide, seems to play an important role in hypothalamic pathways regulating food intake and energy homeostasis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relation of serum nesfatin-1 level with metabolic and anthropometric parameters in children and adolescents. This study prospectively included 78 Korean children and adolescents (42 obese/overweight group and 36 healthy control group). Fasting serum nesfatin-1 was quantitatively assayed by ELISA. Lipid profile, fasting blood glucose, fasting insulin, and the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) were measured as metabolic parameters. Serum nesfatin-1 levels were significantly lower in obese/overweight group than in control group (median 1.4 vs 2.0 ng/mL; P = .003). Pubertal subjects have the lower serum nesfatin-1 level than pre-pubertal subjects (median 1.5 vs 2.6 ng/mL; P = .02). Nesfatin-1 levels negatively correlated with chronological age (r = −0.37; P = .001), BMI (r = −0.33; P = .003), and BMI SDS (r = −0.26; P = .02). In conclusion, our results suggest that serum nesfatin-1 negatively correlated with BMI in children and adolescents. It suggests that nesfatin-1 might have an important role in regulation of food intake in obese children and adolescents.