Lower serum leptin levels in female students of the nutritional sciences with eating disorders.

Background: Evidence has accumulated that in both acutely ill and recovered patients with either anorexia or bulimia nervosa circulating leptin levels (LL) are lower than in controls matched for body mass index (BMI; kg/m(2)). It is unknown if these lower leptin levels represent a state or trait marker.

Aim Of The Study: We aimed to confirm the lowered leptin levels in eating disordered females and to identify underlying mechanisms.