COMPARISON OF NUTRITIONAL STATUS BETWEEN YOUNG AND ELDERLY WOMEN: RELATION WITH LEPTIN AND IGF-I

Abstract

Aim: to compare nutritional status between old and young women, from anthropometric, dietetic and biochemical variables, looking for relation with leptin and IGF-I concentration. Methods: 18 voluntary women were distributed in two groups: -more than 60 years old (n=10), named “old” (O); - between 20-30 years (n=8), named “young” (Y). They were evaluated: body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC) and body composition by bioelectric impedance (fat mass and fat free mass); diet evaluation by three food diary calculated by energy, macronutrients and cholesterol; plasmatic concentration of lipids, glucose, albumin, leptin and IGF-I. Methods: 18 voluntary women were distributed in two groups: -more than 60 years old (n=10), named “old” (O); - between 20-30 years (n=8), named “young” (Y). They were evaluated: body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC) and body composition by bioelectric impedance (fat mass and fat free mass); diet evaluation by three food diary calculated by energy, macronutrients and cholesterol; plasmatic concentration of lipids, glucose, albumin, leptin and IGF-I. Results: “O” group presented higher values from BMI, WC, percent body fat, leptin levels and low density lipoproteins. “Y” group presented higher values from IGF-I and percent lean body mass. Leptin correlated positive and significantly with fat mass and WC, when analyzed for all individuals. After adjustment of leptin for body fat, there were not significant differences between groups. After adjustment of IGF-I by body lean mass, “Y” presented higher values. Conclusions : leptin levels are higher in old women, proportional to an increase in body fat, specifically visceral fat. It  was possible to identify a relation among leptin, somatotrophic axis and liver lipoprotein metabolism. Energetic balance was negative for all the subjects without any deviation in nutritional status; it should be due to underreporting of food ingestion and overreporting of physical activity.