The relation between plasma leptin levels and eating attitudes, menstrual cycle and endocrine factors in female ballet dancers

The purpose of this study is to examine the relations between plasma leptin levels and eating attitudes, menstrual cycle and endocrine factors in female balet dancers. The participants are 22 volunteer female balet dancers between ages 18 and 31, having at least 5 years ballet experience; and 27 volunteer sedentary from The School of Nursery and Health Services, who had no regular physical activity. Decompositions in eating attitudes of the participants were found with application of EAT-26 test. Exercise and injury history and the period of non-exercised interval of female ballet dancers were determined with Exercise Information Form. Menstrual status and any gynocological disease if exists were determined with Menstrual Cycle Watch Form. Height and radius measurements of the participants were done. Body weight and body fat percentage were measured with bioelectrical impedance method. Also skin curve measurements of triceps, suprailiac and anterior thigh areas were made with skinfold-caliper. Body densities were calculated using Jackson-Pollock-Ward (1980) Formula and fat percentages were calculated with Siri Equation (1961). For hormonal analysis, venous blood samples were taken after all-night fasting during the 18th and 24th days of the menstruation brakial venouses into strait blood tubes. Serum leptin levels were determined with solid phase sandwich ELİSA method. Serum insuline, LH, FSH, IGF-1, IGFBP-3, prolactine, ostrodiol, cortizol and progesteronelevels were measured with using commercial reactive kits in İmmulite 2500 analyzer with immunoturbidymetric method. Body fat percentages of female ballet dancers were found statistically lower than sedentaries, while statistically body fat percentagesin free fat mass were found higher. No differences were found between the average results of the two group in EAT-26 test. Leptin levels measured in luteal phase were found statistically lower in comparison with sedentaries. A statistically meaningful relation was found between the leptin levels of female ballet dancers and eating attitudes and progesterone levels in luteal phase. 70% of the differentiation of leptin level is defined with these two independent variable. İn sedentaries, a statistically meaningful relation was found between the leptin levels in luteal phase and body fat percentage and progesterone level. %75 of the differentiation of leptin level in sedentaries is defined with these independent variable. Key words: leptin, exercise, menstruation, eating attitudes, hormones.