Higher Levels of Serum Leptin Are Linked with a Reduction in Gait Stability: A Sex-Based Association

Overview

Journal Biomolecules

Publisher MDPI

Specialties Biochemistry
Molecular Biology

Date 2025 Feb 26

PMID 40001498

Authors

Mahmoud A Alfaqih

Ebaa Ababneh

Yousef Khader

Khawla Mhedat

Mai Sater

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Gait stability prevents falls and injuries during physical activities. Muscle strength, aging, and co-existing chronic diseases are factors that affect gait stability. Leptin is an adipokine with pro-inflammatory properties. Several reports demonstrated an association between serum leptin and a reduction in muscle strength. Given the above relationships, we hypothesized that serum leptin could be associated with gait stability. To test this, 146 apparently healthy university students were recruited. Data collection involved anthropometric measurements, physical activity (PA) data, gait parameters, and serum leptin levels. A gait instability index was derived from the percentages of double support time and walking asymmetry (WA) collected from smartphones. Females demonstrated higher leptin levels and WA despite a lower body mass index (BMI). Lower PA levels were also observed among females. Leptin levels were negatively correlated with WA, step count, and vigorous PA ( < 0.05). These correlations remained significant following correction for leptin by BMI. Using logistic regression, a higher leptin-to-BMI ratio was associated with high gait instability (OR = 9.97, 95%CI: 4.17-23.84, < 0.001). After stratification by sex, this association was only evident among females (OR = 6.09, 95%CI: 1.04-35.56, = 0.045). These findings suggest a sex-based association between serum leptin and gait stability among apparently healthy students.

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