Correlation between Adiponectin and Body Composition of Pre-menopausal Women

Abstract

Decreased bone mineral density, a risk factor for fracture is a rare condition in pre-menopausal women and is often related to abnormalities in hormone levels, bone metabolism, weight and diet. Even though the incidence is low, it can have detrimental effects on their daily activities, and this can easily be prevented through awareness and change in lifestyle. Adiponectin, a hormone secreted by adipose tissues is responsible in mediating inflammation, increasing insulin sensitivity of cells, regulation of bone metabolism, protective against cardiovascular diseases and muscle atrophy. This study aims to analyse the correlation between adiponectin and body composition of pre-menopausal women. 60 premenopausal women (mean age = 23 years) were grouped according to their BMI reading:   underweight (n=20), normal (n=20) and overweight (n=20). Body composition (fat mass, muscle mass and bone mass) was measured by TANITA Body Composition Analyser whilst serum adiponectin was determined by enzyme-linked immunoassay. The level of adiponectin in all groups were within normal range, with the highest level found in the underweight group, followed the normal group and lowest in the overweight group. Adiponectin showed a significant negative correlation with fat mass (r=-0.565, p<0.001) and bone mass (r=-0.370, p=0.04). However, fat mass and bone mass had no significant correlation (r=0.210, p=0.107). In conclusion, this study suggest that adiponectin has significant negative correlation with both fat mass and bone mass.