PMON307 Adipokines and Bone Health in Hispanic Children

INTRODUCTION: Leptin and adiponectin are adipocytokines with important metabolic functions. Leptin to adiponectin ratio is a marker of adipose tissue dysfunction and is associated with insulin resistance and cardiometabolic risk. We previously reported a negative effect of adiposity on bone health. We examined the relationship of adipokines to bone mass in a large cohort of Hispanic youth. We hypothesized that adipocytokine dysregulation in childhood may contribute to adverse bone health in children with obesity. METHODS: We studied 501 (237 males and 264 females) children and adolescents from the Viva la Familia Study. They were all pubertal; mean age (SD) 14.1 (2.5) years; 27% were normal weight (NW), 20% overweight (OW) and 53% obese (OB). They underwent measurement of body composition, total body less head bone mineral content (BMC) and density (BMD) by DXA scan; fasting leptin and adiponectin. The leptin to adiponectin ratio was calculated. RESULTS: Leptin concentration and leptin to adiponectin ratio were higher in OW and OB compared to NW (p<.001) whereas adiponectin was lower in OW and OB compared to NW (p<.001). After adjusting for sex, age, Tanner stage and lean mass, BMC was inversely related to leptin (r = -0.15, p =.001) and leptin to adiponectin ratio (r = -0.20, p <.001) but positively related to adiponectin (r = 0.12, p =.007). Similar relationships were found for BMD. In a regression model with BMC as the dependent variable, together and independently of sex, age, Tanner stage, lean mass and fat mass, leptin to adiponectin ratio negatively contributed (β = -0.060, p=.002) to the variance of BMC (R(2) = 0.877, p <.001). Similar findings were seen with BMD as the dependent variable. CONCLUSION: Elevated leptin to adiponectin ratio, a manifestation of adipokine dysregulation, may contribute negatively to bone health (BMC and BMD) in children with overweight/obesity. Presentation: Monday, June 13, 2022 12:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.